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DAILY 

LESSON PLANS 

IN ENGLISH 

CAROLINE GRIFFIN 



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DAILY 

LESSON PLANS 

IN ENGLISH 



BY 
CAROLINE GRIFFIN 



EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 

BOSTON 
New York Chicago San Francisco 



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COPYRIGHT, 1914 
BY 

EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 



JUN II 1914 
©CIA374398 

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DAILY LESSON PLANS 
IN ENGLISH 

SEPTEMBER 

FIRST YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

Show the children a sunflower. What is it? 
"Who can think of another flower of the same 
color? (Nasturtium, goldenrod, dandelion, 
buttercup, etc.) Who can think of a flower 
that is blue? (Hyacinth, bachelor's button, 
flower de luce, etc.) Who can think of a flower 
that is red? (Rose, carnation, geranium, poppy, 
etc.) Have each child name some flower that 
he likes. 

Tuesday 

Allow the children to play "Hey, diddle, 
diddle." One child is the cat, another the 



6 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

fiddle, a third the dish, others the spoon, the 
little dog, the cow and the moon. All the rest 
of the children repeat, very slowly: 

Hey, diddle, diddle, 
The cat and the fiddle. 

As the two lines are being recited, the children 
representing the cat and the fiddle stand up at 
their seats and bow. As the words, 

The cow jumped over the moon, 

are recited, the child representing the moon, 
stooping down, holds out a round piece of 
pasteboard, a piece of paper, or anything else 
that happens to be handy, even a book will 
serve, and the "cow," steps or jumps over it. 
At the words, 

The little dog laughed to see such sport, 

the little dog laughs. At 

The dish ran away with the spoon, 

the two children representing dish and spoon 
take hold of hands and run across the room. 

Then other children may be selected for 
the various parts, and the game may be played 
thus again and again. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 7 

Wednesday 

Have the children practise writing their 
names, and if possible, their home addresses. 

Thursday 

What kind of a day is it, sunny or stormy? 
What color is sunshine? Point to the sun. 
What color are storm clouds? How does the 
rain come down? What does the sunshine 
do for the trees and flowers? What does the 
rain do for the trees and flowers? What does 
the rain do for us? 

Friday 

Have the children name all the objects they 
can see in the school-room. 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

How many children had their faces washed 
before coming to school this morning? How 
many had their hair combed? Have each 
child tell who combed his hair, whether mother, 
nurse, or the child himself. Talk about the 
necessity of cleanliness, and why every child 
must come to school looking clean and tidy. 



8 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Tuesday 

Write the name of the day of the week on the 
blackboard, and have the children practice 
writing it. 

Wednesday 

Ask each child to stand up at his seat and 
recite a "Mother Goose" rhyme. 

Thursday 

Who can show me what I mean when I say, 
"Run." Allow some child to run. What do 
I mean when I say, "Walk." Have the word 
illustrated. Continue similarly with talk, laugh, 
sing, jump, sit, stand. 

Friday 

Show the children a flag. What is it? What 
are the three colors of the flag? Have the 
children count the red stripes; the white 
stripes. What is the color of the stars? 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Show the children a red apple and a green, 
or a yellow apple. What are the colors of the 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 9 

two apples? What shape? Where is the stem? 
Where is the skin? What is there inside the 
skin? Cut one of the apples open. How 
many seeds has it? 

Tuesday 

Have each child tell his father's or his mother's 
first name. 

Wednesday 
Have the children practise writing the date. 

Thursday 

Have each child tell something that he can 
see out of the school-room window. Write 
the word given by each child on paper and let 
him practise writing it. 

Friday 

Let the children dramatize, with a little sug- 
gestive help, "Old King Cole." 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

What day of the week is this? How many 
days are there in a week? Who can name 
them? What is done in your home on Monday? 



10 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

(Washing?) On Tuesday? (Ironing?) On 
Wednesday? Thursday? Friday? Saturday? 
Sunday? 

Tuesday 

Have the childrenlplay the game, "This is 
the way we wash our clothes/' 

Wednesday 
Practise writing September. 

Thursday 
Practise writing the day of the week. 

Friday 

Have the children tell what they had for 
breakfast. 



SECOND YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 
Monday 

Tell, or read, the following story, the children 

to guess what animal is referred to. 

Look what a small, shy thing I am! Do not frighten 
me, and I will tell you all about myself. It is quite 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 11 

true that I come and nibble your cheese and candles 
now and then. But if you will keep such nice things 
stored away in heaps, how can I help longing for a 
taste? The smell of your puddings and pie-crust is 
so nice! How should I know that it belongs to you 
and not to me? 

Please do not tell the cat where I am, or she will 
come and eat me up. I do not like cats a bit. But 
there is something that I hate more than cats, and 
that is the horrid traps you set to catch us in. When 
one of my friends finds himself inside of one of these, 
you do not know how badly he feels! How would 
you like it yourself? 

We do some good in the world, though people fancy 
we do nothing but harm. Men and women throw 
about bits or scraps of food enough to give us many 
a nice meal. We run out and eat this, and leave the 
floor clean and tidy. 

We run off to our holes as quickly as can be if you 
frighten us, and you will see no more of our soft fur and 
long tails. If you are kind we shall be glad to make 
friends with you. — Adapted. 

Tuesday 

Have the children tell, in their own words, 
the story of "The Mouse/ 



99 



Wednesday 
Copy the following: 

A mouse has gray fur. 
A mouse has bright eyes. 



12 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thursday 

Have each child tell about some animal, the 
other children to guess the animal meant. For 
example: 

I have four legs. I have fur. When I am 
hungry I say, "Miow." When I am happy 
I purr. What am I? 

If you find it to be too difficult for the chil- 
dren to give the descriptions, you can describe 
the animals, and let all the children guess what 
you are describing. 

Friday 
Write five words that rhyme with cat. 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

What month is this? How many months 
are there in the year? How many days in this 
month? Teach the rhyme, "Thirty days hath 
September." 

Tuesday 

Have the children write the names of the 
months. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 13 

Wednesday 

Have the children complete the following 
sentences: 

Roses are . 

Asters are . 

Goldenrod is . 

Lemons are . 

Trees are . 

My eyes are . 



Thursday 
To be memorized: 

MY SHADOW 

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, 
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see. 
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head; 
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my 
bed. 

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to 

grow — 
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow ; 
For he sometimes shoots up taller, like an Indian-rubber 

ball, 
And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of 

him at all. 

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play, 
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way. 



14 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see; 
I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks 
to me! 

One morning, very early, before the sun was up, 
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup; 
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head, 
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep 
in bed. — Robert Louis Stevenson. 

Have the children copy two stanzas of the 
poem. 

Friday 

Have the children copy the rest of the poem, 
"My Shadow." 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Teach the children the first stanza of "My 
Shadow." 

Who has a shadow? When can we see our 
shadow? How does the shadow "Jump before 
me, when I jump into my bed"? 

Tuesday 
Teach the second stanza of "My Shadow." 
How does the shadow grow tall? How does 

it get "so little"? 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 15 

Wednesday 

Teach the third stanza of "My Shadow/' 
questioning the children to make sure that they 
understand its meaning. 

Thursday 
Teach the fourth stanza of "My Shadow/' 

Friday 

Have the children repeat the entire poem, 
"My Shadow." 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Write five sentences, telling what the shadow 
does. (Refer to the poem.) 

Tuesday 

Write five name words (nouns), to be found 
in the poem "My Shadow." 

Wednesday 

Write a letter to your sister or brother, telling 
what you do at school. 

Thursday 

Make an envelope of paper, and address it 
to the one to whom you wrote yesterday. 



16 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Friday 
Write five words that rhyme with run. 

To the Teacher: The proper method of addressing 
an envelope may be taught here. 

THIRD YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 
Monday 

Have the children repeat the old rhyme, 

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers/' 

then let them see if they can write it. 

Tuesday 
For dictation: 

I know that when my bed-time comes, 

And I am tired of everything, 
I cannot go to sleep unless 

I hear my mother softly sing 
The Bye-low song. 

Wednesday 
Story for reproduction: 

JIM CROW 

When Jim Crow became a member of our family 
he was very young, and could hardly balance him- 
self upon his slender legs. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 17 

We fed him upon raw eggs and scraps of raw meat 
until he grew strong and the black feathers had become 
smooth and glossy, and the bright eyes were brighter, 
and Jim Crow had changed into a beautiful bird. 

A smart bird was Jim, devoted to his master and 
mistress, hailing them with a loud caw whenever their 
steps were heard, and hopping about to greet 
them. 

Jim could talk a little, and would have acquired 
much more knowledge of the language if he had lived 
longer. 

He would spread his wings, purple in their deep 
black, and call in a hoarse voice, ''Come on, come 
on," very distinctly. 

He would greet his master with "Hello, Papa," 
and delighted in feeding from his hand. He knew 
when the butcher boy came with the meat, and was 
at the cook's side when she received the basket, croak- 
ing for his share. 

Jim delighted in a plunge bath, and would splash 
away in an earthern crock a dozen times a day, if it 
was filled for him. 

He liked red and blue, and if ladies called at the 
house dressed in these colors, the young crow would 
become frantic, spreading his wings and tail, and crying, 
"Come on, Come on," to the amusement of all. 

He would often eat corn with the chickens, and 
would act in a very greedy way, filling his bill with 
the grain, rushing away and hiding it, then coming 
back for more. If the chickens did not eat as fast 
as they could, Jim had the lion's share. 

Jim was hurt one day by a stray dog, and then we 
didn't have a crow any more. — Selected. 



18 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 



Thursday 

Have the children tell, in their own words, 
the story of "Jim Crow/' 

Friday 

Have the children write the story of "Jim 
Crow," 



SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
Poem to be memorized: 

THE LAND OF STORY BOOKS 

At evening when the lamp is lit, 
Around the fire my parents sit; 
They sit at home, and talk and sing, 
And do not play at anything. 

Now, with my little gun, I crawl 
All in the dark along the wall, 
And follow 'round the forest track 
Away behind the sofa back. 

There, in the night, where none can spy, 
All in my hunter's camp I lie 
And play at books that I have read 
Till it is time to go to bed. 

These are the hills, these are the woods, 
These are my starry solitudes, 
And there the river, by whose brink 
The roaring lions come to drink. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 19 

I see the others far away, 
As if in firelit camp they lay, 
And I, like to an Indian scout, 
Around their party prowled about. 

So when my nurse comes in for me, 
Home I return across the sea, 
And go to bed with backward looks 
At my dear Land of Story Books. 

— Robert Louis Stevenson 

Have the poem copied. 

Tuesday 

Have the children commit to memory the 
first two stanzas of "The Land of Story Books." 

Wednesday 

Have the children commit to memory the 
third and fourth stanzas of "The Land of 
Story Books." 

Thursday 

Have the pupils commit the entire poem, 
"The Land of Story Books." 

Friday 
Repeat the poem of the week, entire. 



20 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Write a list of the adjectives to be found in the 
poem, "The Land of Story Books." 

Tuesday 

Write a list of the verbs to be found in the 
poem, "The Land of Story Books." 

Wednesday 

Write two words that rhyme with each of the 
following: Sit, wall, bed, lay, sea. 

Thursday 

Write, in complete sentences, answers to the 
following questions, referring to the poem for 
the answers: 

What do my parents do? 

Where do I go with my gun? 

What do I play? 

What do I play that I am? 

How long do I play? 

Friday 

Write a letter, thanking your aunt for a 
birthday present, and telling what the present 
is. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 21 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
Complete the following sentences: 

I am to New York. 

I to school yesterday. 

Will you to the circus with me? 

Has your aunt home yet? 

Are you to school to-morrow? 

Shall we part way home with you? 

Tuesday 

Write the names of five objects made of 
wood; five of iron; five of wool; five of cotton. 

Wednesday 
Write a composition telling about grapes. 

Thursday 

Write a letter telling a friend about a squirrel 
you once saw. 

Friday 
Write an invitation to a school party. 



22 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

FOURTH YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

Write five sentences telling about good man- 
ners in the school-room. 

Tuesday 

Describe, orally, some game you know how 
to play. 

Wednesday 

Copy the following from Whittier's "The 
Barefoot Boy": 

How the tortoise bears his shell, 
How the woodchuck digs his cell, 
How the ground-mole sinks his well, 
How the robin feeds her young, 
How the oriole's nest is hung; 
Where the whitest lilies blow, 
Where the freshest berries grow, 
Where the ground-nut trails its vine, 
Where the wood-grape's clusters shine. 

Thursday 

Write sentences explaining each reference 
in the poem copied yesterday. For example, 
"How the tortoise bears his shell" — The 
tortoise carries his shell on his back. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 23 

Friday 

Have pupils dramatize "Little Red Riding 
Hood/' without preparation, and in their own 
way. 

SECOND WEEK 
Monday 

For dictation: 

Ere, in the northern gale, 

The summer tresses of the leaves are gone, 
The woods of Autumn, all around our vale, 

Have put their glory on. 

— William Cullen Bryant 

Tuesday 

Proverbs, to be copied and committed to 
memory: 

He who does his best, does well. 
It takes two to make a quarrel. 
Make hay while the sun shines. 
More haste, less speed. 
Waste not, want not. 

A place for everything, and everything in its 
place. 
A friend in need is a friend indeed. 
Better late than never. 



24 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Look before you leap. 
Honesty is the best policy. 

Wednesday 
Write a composition about "Sparrows/' 

Thursday 

Write a telegram, congratulating either Presi- 
dent Taf t or Governor Wilson upon his nomina- 
tion for President. 

Friday 

Conversation on how we can tell that Fall 
and Winter are coming. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 
Copy the following from "Hiawatha." 

THE FEAST OF MONDAMIN 

And the maize-field grew and ripened, 
Till it stood in all the splendor 
Of its garments green and yellow, 
Of its tassels and its plumage, 
And the maize-ears full and shining 
Gleamed from bursting sheaths of verdure. 

Then Nokomis, the old woman, 
Spake and said to Minnehaha: 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 25 

"Tis the Moon when leaves are falling; 
All the wild rice has been gathered, 
And the maize is ripe and ready; 
Let us gather in the harvest, 
Let us wrestle with Mondamin, 
Strip him of his plume and tassels, 
Of his garments green and yellow.' ' 

Tuesday 

Commit to memory the selection from "Hia- 
watha/ ' 

Wednesday 

Conversation on the meaning of the "Mon- 
damin" story. 

Thursday 
Write a story on "Corn — How It Grows." 

Friday 
Write ten sentences about the uses of corn. 

FOURTH WEEK 
Monday 

Write the abbreviations for month, year, the 

days of the week, the months of the year. 

Tuesday 
For dictation: 



26 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Chestnuts in the ashes 

Bursting through the rind, 
Red leaf and yellow leaf 

Rustling down the wind; 
Mother "doin' peaches" 

All the afternoon — 
Don't you think that Autumn's 

Pleasanter than June? 

Wednesday 

Write five reasons why autumn is pleasanter 
than June. 

Thursday 

Write ten sentences containing the word 
blue. 

Friday 
Write a rhyme of four lines about apples. 



OCTOBER 

FIRST YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

What is the name of this month? What 
was last month called? What month follows 
October? What season is this? What season 
follows autumn? What are the four seasons? 
How do you know that it is autumn? How is 
the weather different from what it was in July? 
What are the birds doing this month? What 
is happening to the leaves on the trees? What 
flowers are in blossom this month? 

Tuesday 
A little verse to learn: 

Work, and make the world sweet, 
That's the best for you. 

Wednesday 
Read this little poem to the children: 

27 



28 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

LITTLE MISS CHESTNUT 

Little Miss Chestnut lived in a tree, 
She and her sisters; one, two, three. 
Their house was covered with prickles green, 
To keep the squirrels away, I ween. 

Soon Jack Frost knocked, just for fun; 
Out jumped the chestnuts, every one. 

Elsie and Fred, on their walk next day, 
Found the nuts and took them away. 
On winter evenings, cold and long, 
They'll roast the nuts. Here ends my song. 

— Selected 

Have ready, but out of sight, a chestnut 
burr, if possible containing some of the nuts. 
If you cannot get the burr, at least have some of 
the nuts enough so that each child may have 
one to eat, after the lesson is over. 

Show the children how the prickly burr 
protects the nuts from squirrels, and from boys 
and girls, until the nuts are ripe. Then Jack 
Frost comes along and opens the burr, and the 
nuts fall out. 

Explain how the nut itself is the seed of the 
chestnut tree, and how, if allowed to lie under 
the snow all winter, a new little chestnut tree 
will start up in the spring. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 29 

Thursday 

Teach this little rhyme to the children: 

When we have a pleasant day, 
We like to stroll along the way; 
And as we walk upon the street, 
The folks we know we always greet. 

Use the rhyme as a means of teaching the 
children the proper method of salutation on 
the street. Let the girls wear their hats, and 
the boys have their caps at their seats with 
them. Allow a boy and a girl, with hats on, 
to go to the front of the room, and from opposite 
sides of the room walk towards each other. 
As they start, the children — all except the 
two at the front — repeat the rhyme. When 
the two children at the front meet, the girl 
nods her head politely, and the boy lifts his 
hat. After the simple ceremony the two chil- 
dren return to their seats, and their places are 
taken by other boys and girls, in turn, until 
all can perform the act easily and gracefully. 

Friday 

Ask each child to bring a penny to school. 
See how many things are to be found on the 
penny — as a head, date, etc. 



30 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Tell the children that October was the month 
when America was discovered. We live in the 
United States, and the United States is in 
America. Tell the story of Columbus and the 
discovery of the new continent. If well told, 
the story is quite as fascinating as a fairy tale. 

Tuesday 

Have the children tell back to you the story 
of Columbus and the discovery of America. 

Wednesday 

A poem dramatized. 

This poem, acted out as indicated, can be 
used effectively as a rest exercise. As all the 
children will be moving, the windows can be 
thrown open, and the room aired while the 
game is being played. 

The poem is to be recited by the teacher. 
Allow plenty of time between lines, for each 
part to be acted. 

Children representing Sunshine, Miss Weather 
and Professor Wind are first chosen. They 
take their places in the front of the room. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 31 

Then the other children are separated, by rows 
of desks, into Ashes, Oaks, Maples, and Chest- 
nuts. 

October gave a party; 
The leaves by hundreds came — 

The Ashes, Oaks, Maples, and Chestnuts come 
skipping, tiptoe, up the aisles, helter-skelter, 
to represent flying leaves. 

The Ashes, Oaks, and Maples, 
And those of every name. 

The skipping is continued, until all the leaves 
stand in a group at one side of the room. 

Miss Sunshine spread a carpet, 
And everything was grand. 

As these two lines are being recited Miss 
Sunshine pretends to spread a carpet over the 
entire open space at the front of the room. 
She may take plenty of time. The poem is not 
to be recited continuously. 

Miss Weather led the dancing, 

As this line is recited, Miss Weather skips 
alone across the front of the room, from one 
side to the other. 

Professor Wind, the band. 



32 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Professor Wind marches pompously across 
the room, tooting a real or an imaginary horn. 

The Chestnuts came in yellow, 

The Chestnuts skip lightly, by couples, from 
one side of the room to the side where Miss 
Weather stands. They bow to Miss Weather 
by twos, turn, and skip back again. 

The Oaks in crimson dressed; 

The lovely Misses Maple 
In scarlet looked their best. 

The Oaks, then the Maples, followed by the 
Ashes, skip across the room by twos, bowing 
to Miss Weather, and returning to their places, 
after the fashion of the Chestnuts. 

And balanced all their partners, 

And gaily fluttered by; 
The sight was like a rainbow 

Now fallen from the sky. 

While the teacher is reciting the four lines 
given above, all the children are still, but at its 
close, all skip about partners, holding their 
clasped hands high above the head, skipping 
tiptoe, as before, and very light and gay. 

Then in the rustic hollows, 
At " hide-and-seek" they played, 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 33 

The party closed at sundown, 
And everybody stayed. 

All remain quiet while the four lines given 
above are recited, then partners separate, and 
everybody apparently hides somewhere. 

Professor Wind played louder; 

They flew along the ground; 
And then the party ended 

In jolly hands around. 

As Professor Wind blows his hardest, all 

gather from their hiding places, take hold of 

hands and circle round, and the game ends. 

— Selected and adapted 
Thursday 

Play the October game. 

Friday 
Play the October game. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Read this poem to the children, for them to 
guess who is meant: 

WHO'S THE ROGUE? 

A roguish old fellow is prowling about 

In field and in garden; you can't keep him out. 

No matter how tall 



f 



34 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

You build up your wall, 

He'll find a way over, in spite of it all. 

On the glass of the window his pictures you'll see, 

A grand exhibition (admission is free) ; 

He works hard at night 

While the stars glitter bright; 

But when the sun rises he keeps out of sight. 

He'll sketch you a snow-covered mountain or tree; 

A torrent all frozen, a ship out at sea. 

He draws very fast, 

But his work does not last: 

It fades when the chill of the night-time is past. 

Before the sun rises, while hardly 'tis light, 

He feels of the fruit and takes a sly bite; 

He has a fine taste, 

Though a great deal he'll waste, 

Then off he will go in very great haste. 

Now, who do you think this old fellow may be, 

The bright, sparkling work of whose fingers we see? 

All winter he'll stay, 

What more shall I say? 

Only this, that his first name begins with a J. 

— Selected 
Tuesday 

On this, or some rainy morning of the week, 
talk about the weather. Why did you all come 
to school this morning with rubbers and um- 
brellas? Why is an umbrella shaped as it is? 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 35 

Why does the rain sometimes fall straight 
down, and sometimes slanting? How does the 
rain tell us which way the wind blows? Why 
do rubbers keep our feet dry, when shoes do 
not? What else is made of rubber? 

V/ednesday 
Teach the children this memory gem: 

All that's great and good is done 
Just by patient trying. 

Thursday 

What does Jack Frost do to the windows? 
What does he do to the nuts? What does he 
do to the apples? What does he do to the 
grass? What are some other things that Jack 
Frost does? 

Friday 

Play the October game, described under 
the preceding week. 

FOURTH WEEK 
Monday 

An October Pumpkin Story. (To be told 

to the children.) 



36 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

One afternoon in late October, father went down 
to the field to get a pumpkin. 

The children went along too. They wanted to 
see that father picked out a large pumpkin. They 
wanted to help bring it back to the house. 

Although it was October, there were still some 
pumpkins to be found in the field. 

Father led the way. The children came trooping 
after. 

The pumpkins grew down in the cornfield. Their 
long, coarse stems lay sprawling on the ground. Their 
big, rough leaves looked like green umbrellas. 

The boys saw a very large pumpkin. They were 
just going to pick it, but father said, "Not that one." 

Father looked around until he found a deep, yellow 
pumpkin. He told the children that deep, yellow 
pumpkins make the best pies. 

The children soon found another pumpkin, some- 
what smoother than the others. They picked that 
to use for a Jack-o'-lantern. 

Then they went back to the house, carrying the 
huge yellow fruit with them. 

The girls went into the house, to see mother make 
pumpkin pies. 

Mother cut open the yellow pumpkin. Oh, how 
thick the meat was! Oh, how the fat, white seeds 
came tumbling out! Mother said the flesh was good 
because it had a nice fine grain. 

Mother cut the flesh into small pieces, after she 
had peeled off the thick rind. 

Then she put the pieces into a large iron pot to boil. 

When the girls had seen the pieces disappear into the 
pot they went to see what the boys were doing. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 37 

Out by the barn they found the boys with a jack- 
knife, working away at the other pumpkin. The 
boys were making a Jack-o'-lantern. 

They had cut a round hole in the top of the pump- 
kin, £o as to leave the stem for a handle. In this way 
they could lift out the round piece like a cover. They 
dug out all the seeds with their hands, to make it 
hollow. 

Then they cut a small hole, shaped like a triangle, 
in the side of the pumpkin. They bored two round 
holes, one each side of the triangle. Below it they 
cut a funny hole shaped like a new moon. 

It looked like a huge grinning face. When the 
boys had finished it, they put the pumpkin away in 
the barn. 

Then they all remembered about the pumpkin that 
was cooking in the kitchen, so they ran back to the 
house as fast as they could. 

By this time the pumpkin in the pot was done, and 
mother took it from the stove. She poured off the 
water, and then put the cooked pumpkin into a colander. 

While mother was rubbing the soft pumpkin through 
the colander, the boys ran off to hunt for eggs. When 
they came back, mother took eight of the eggs, and 
about three pints of the soft pumpkin. She stirred 
it very fast, while the children stood around and 
watched, with open eyes and mouths. Then she 
put in milk, and spice, and brown sugar. 

Oh, didn't it look good! The children smacked 
their lips as each separate thing went in. Mother 
gave it all such a beating with her big spoon that the 
children said it would be good ever after. 



38 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Next came the pie tins lined with soft crust, and 
last of all the pies went into the oven. 

That night as father and mother sat in front of the 
fire-place talking, a strange noise was heard. What 
could it be? Was it a groan? Was somebody hurt? 
There it was again, again, and again! It came from 
the front porch. 

Father went to the window and drew aside the 
curtain. Then they saw something that made the 
smaller children shiver, but the older girls only laughed. 
The boys were not in the house. 

There at the window, staring in and grinning hor- 
ribly — was — well, what do you suppose? Yes 
it was the Jack-o'-lantern. 

— Selected 
Tuesday 

Talk about Jack-o'-lanterns. If possible, 

make one in school, or show the children one. 

Wednesday 

Talk about Hallowe'en, and how the Jack-o'- 
lantern is used for decoration at that time. 

Thursday 
Talk about Hallowe'en tricks. 

Friday 
Play some of the Hallowe'en tricks in school. 



DAILY LESSONS PLANS IN ENGLISH 39 

SECOND YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
To be copied and memorized by the pupils: 

THE WORLD'S MUSIC 

The world's a very happy place, 

Where every child should dance and sing, 

And always have a smiling face, 
And never sulk for anything. 

The world is such a happy place, 

That children, whether big or small, 
Should always have a shining face, 
And never, never sulk at all. 

— Selected 
Tuesday 

Have the children write answers, as complete 
sentences, to the following questions about 
"The World's Music": 

What kind of place is the world? 

What should every child have? 

What should a child do? 

What should a child never do? 

Wednesday 

Bring sufficient hickory nuts to the class so 
that each child can have one. If possible, 



40 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

have the nuts in the hulls. Ask the following 
questions, for the children to answer: 

How many hulls on each nut? 

What are the hulls for? (To protect the 
nut.) 

What takes off the hulls when they are quite 
ripe? (The frost.) 

Which is the blossom end of the nut, and 
which is the stem end? 

Crack a hickory nut. What is there inside 
the shell? 

Explain how the nut grows, to start a new 
tree. 

Thursday 

Copy these sentences, filling the blank spaces 
with is, or are: 

A gray squirrel in the tree. 

The squirrel fond of nuts. 

The tree — once the squirrel's home. 

Hickory nuts — the squirrel's food. 

Friday 

For dictation: 
I am round. 



DAILY LESSONS PLANS IN ENGLISH 41 

I am red. 

I am just a bit sour. 

Would you like to eat me? 

SECOND WEEK 
Monday 

Poem to be memorized. 

Commit the first stanza of the poem to 

memory: 

THE WONDERFUL WORLD 

Great, wide, wonderful, beautiful world, 
With the wonderful water around you curled, 
And the wonderful grass upon your breast — 
World, you are beautifully dressed! 

The wonderful air is over me, 
And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree; 
It walks on the water and whirls the mills, 
And talks to itself on the tops of the hills. 

You friendly Earth, how far do you go, 
With wheat fields that nod, and rivers that flow, 
With cities and gardens, and oceans and isles, 
And people upon you for thousands of miles? 

Ah, you are so great and I am so small, 
I hardly can think of you, World, at all; 
And yet, when I said my prayers to-day, 
My mother kissed me, and said, quite gay: 



42 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

"If the wonderful World is great to you, 
And great to father and mother, too, 
You are more than the Earth, though you are such 

a dot, 
You can love and think, and the Earth cannot!" 

— William Brighty Rands 
Tuesday 

Commit to memory the second stanza of the 

poem. 

Wednesday 

Commit to memory the third stanza of the 
poem. 

Thursday 

Commit to memory the fourth stanza of the 
poem. 

Friday 
Finish learning the poem, and recite it all. 

THIRD WEEK 
Monday 

The Post-Office. — What is a post-office? 

Who has charge of the post-office? Where is 

the post-office nearest your home? What do 

you see when you go to the post-office? How 

do you get your mail? Why do people write 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 43 

letters? How do letters go from one place to 
another? What is the stamp on a letter for? 
How much does it cost to send a letter? Who 
pays for sending a letter? 

Tuesday 
For dictation: 
It is cold in the fall. 
The wind blows hard. 
The trees are bare. 
The birds are gone. 
I like fall, for I can play out-of-doors. 

Wednesday 

Write a letter to a friend, telling what Jack 
Frost does in the fall. Send the letter to your 
friend, directing the envelope properly, and 
putting the stamp in the right place. 

Thursday 

Bring to the class cards, each having on it 
the name of some animal, as cow, horse, elephant, 
dog, etc. Give a card to each pupil, and have 
him describe the animal named on his card, 
allowing the other children to guess what animal 
he is describing. For example: "I am not 



44 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

very large. I have a bushy tail. I live among 
the trees. I like to eat nuts. What am I?" 

Friday 

For dictation: 

One day as Mr. Squirrel went up his tree to bed, 
A very large hickory nut fell on his head. 
"Although I am fond of nuts/' Mr. Squirrel then 

did say, 
"I would very much rather they did not come that 
way." 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
Tell this story to the children: 

JACK FROST AND THE NUTS 

Little Miss Chestnut and her two sisters lived up 
in a tree in a prickly green house. The house was as 
soft as velvet inside, but sharp spikes on the outside 
kept away the squirrels, who would have torn down 
the house if they could. 

But soon Jack Frost came along. Jack does not 
mind fences, so he knocked at the door of the Chest- 
nut house. 

"Little Miss Chestnut/' he called, "are you ready 
to come out?" 

But little Miss Chestnut replied, "I am not quite 
ready yet, Mr. Jack." 

So Jack went off to the house where Miss Hickory 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 45 

Nut lived. Miss Hickory Nut lived all alone in a 
round green cottage. 

"Miss Hickory Nut/' he called "are you ready 
to come out?" 

But Miss Hickory Nut replied, "I am not quite 
ready yet, Mr. Jack." 

So Jack went off to the low bush where Miss Hazel 
Nut lived in a soft green tent. Miss Hazel Nut was 
already peeping out. 

"Miss Hazel Nut," he called, "are you ready to 
come out?" 

And little Miss Hazel Nut replied, "I am quite 
ready, Mr. Jack." 

So she dropped down and waited below the bush, 
while Jack went back after the other nuts. 

Jack knocked once more at the chestnut house. 
Little Miss Chestnut opened the door so quickly that 
she and her sisters fell to the ground. 

Then Jack knocked once more at the hickory house. 

Miss Hickory Nut opened the door so quickly that 
her house fell apart. 

And all the other nut houses opened, and all the 
nuts came out to see what was the matter. 

The next day the children went for a walk. As they 
walked in the woods they spied the nuts. 

"See," they said, "the frost has opened the chest- 
nut burrs, and all the other nuts must be out of the 
shucks." 

Tuesday 

Have the children tell back to you the story 
of Jack Frost and the nuts. 



46 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 
Write five sentences about nuts. 

Thursday 
Write answers to the following questions: 

What does Jack Frost do? 
Where does he paint pictures? (On the 
window-pane.) 
What colors does he paint the maple leaves? 
What colors does he paint the hickory leaves? 

Friday 

Talk with the children about the way seeds 
are scattered. Bring to school various kinds 
of seeds, if these are available. How are dande- 
lion seeds scattered? How are milkweed seeds 
scattered? How are burdock seeds scattered? 

THIRD YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
Read to the children the following poem: 

MRS. RED SQUIRREL 

Mrs. Red Squirrel sat on the top of a tree; 
"I believe in the habit of saving," said she; 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 47 

"If it were not for that, in the cold winter weather 
I should starve, and my young ones, I know, al- 
together; 
But I am teaching my children to run and lay up 
Every acorn as soon as it drops from its cup, 
And to get out the corn from the shocks in the 

field— 
There's a nice hollow tree where I keep it concealed. 

"We have laid up some wheat, and some barley and 
rye, 
And some very nice pumpkin seeds I have put by; 
Best of all, we have gathered in all that we could 
Of beechnuts and butternuts grown in the wood; 
For cold days and hard times winter surely will bring, 
And a habit of saving's an excellent thing. 

"But my children — you know how young squirrels 

like play, 
'We have plenty, great plenty, already/ they say; 
'We are tired of bringing in food for our store; 
Let us all have a frolic, and gather no more!' 
But I tell them it's pleasant when winter is rough, 
If we feel both to use and to give we've enough; 
And they'll find, ere the butternuts bloom in the 

spring, 
That a habit of saving's an excellent thing." 

— Selected 

Tuesday 

Have the pupils tell back to you, the story of 
"Mrs. Red Squirrel/' 



48 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 

Write five sentences about Mrs. Red Squirrel, 
and the habit of saving, 

Thursday 

For dictation: 

I am small and nearly round. I have a hard, 
brown shell. Inside, my meat is brown, too. 
You like to eat me with a little salt. You get 
my meat by breaking my shell. What am I? 

Friday 

Write a story similar to the one given in the 
lesson for yesterday, for the other pupils to 
guess. You can write about an apple or some 
other fruit; about a dog or some other animal; 
or about a flower. 

SECOND WEEK 
Monday 

Have the children copy the following: 

HIAWATHA'S CHILDHOOD 

At the door on summer evenings 
Sat the little Hiawatha; 
Heard the whispering of the pine trees, 
Heard the lapping of the water, 
Sounds of music, words of wonder; 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 49 

"Minne-wawa!" said the pine trees, . 

"Mudway-aushka!" said the water. 
Saw the firefly, Wah-wah-taysee, 
Flitting through the dusk of evening, 
With the twinkle of its candle 
Lighting up the brakes and bushes, 
And he sang the song of children, 
Sang the song Nokomis taught him: 

"Wah-wah-taysee, little firefly, 
Little, flitting, white-fire insect, 
Little, dancing, white-fire creature, 
Light me with your little candle, 
Ere upon my bed I lay me, 
Ere in sleep I close my eyelids !" 

Tuesday 

Have the children copy the following: 

Forth into the forest straightway 

All alone walked Hiawatha 

Proudly, with his bow and arrows; 

And the birds sang round him, o'er him, 
"Do not shoot us, Hiawatha!" 

Sang the robin, the Opechee, 

Sang the bluebird, the Owaissa, 
"Do not shoot us, Hiawatha!" 

Up the oak tree, close beside him, 

Sprang the squirrel, Adjidaumo, 

In and out among the branches, 

Coughed and chattered from the oak tree, 

Laughed, and said between his laughing, 
"Do not shoot me, Hiawatha!" 



50 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 

Tell the children the story of Hiawatha. If 
possible, read the whole part of the poem relating 
to Hiawatha's childhood. Have the children 
read the portion of the poem quoted here. 

Thursday 

What sounds did Hiawatha like to hear on 
summer evenings? What did he think the 
pine tree said? The water? What did he call 
the firefly? What is the firefly's candle? Who 
taught Hiawatha the song about the firefly? 

What did Hiawatha learn from the birds? 
Who taught him their names? How did he 
discover their secrets? What secrets are men- 
tioned? What did he call the birds? 

Friday 

What did Hiawatha call the firefly? Why 
did he call the firefly, " Little, dancing, white- 
fire creature"? 

What is the difference between "brakes" 
and "bushes"? 

What did Hiawatha call the robin? The 
bluebird? The squirrel? 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 51 

What words show the sound of the pine tree? 
The sound of the water? The motion of the 
firefly? The sound made by the squirrel? 

Tell how Hiawatha spent his evenings. 

Describe the little hunter as he went into 
the forest. 

THIRD WEEK 
Monday 

Write five sentences about the things that 
Hiawatha heard at the door on summer even- 
ings? 

Tuesday 

Write five sentences about what happened 
when Hiawatha went into the forest. 

Wednesday 
Write what Hiawatha learned of the birds. 

Thursday 

Write about what Hiawatha learned of the 
animals. 

Friday 
Let the children play Hiawatha. 



52 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

FOURTH WEEK 

Spend this entire week on the poem Hiawatha. 
Let the children dramatize it in their own way, 
but under your guidance. Let those who have 
Indian costumes wear them to school. Talk 
Hiawatha and live Hiawatha, for the entire 
week. Use the language of the poem yourself, 
and encourage the children to do so. 

FOURTH YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
Poem to be committed to memory: 

THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH 

Under a spreading chestnut tree, 

The village smithy stands; 
The smith, a mighty man is he, 

With large and sinewy hands; 
And the muscles of his brawny arms 

Are strong as iron bands. 

His hair is crisp, and black, and long, 

His face is like the tan; 
His brow is wet with honest sweat, 

He earns whate'er he can, 
And looks the whole world in the face, 

For he owes not any man. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 53 

Week in, week out, from morn till night, 

You can hear his bellows blow; 
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge, 

With measured beat and slow, 
Like a sexton ringing the village bell, 

When the evening sun is low. 

The children coming home from school 

Look in at the open door; 
They love to see the flaming forge, 

And hear the bellows roar, 
And catch the burning sparks that fly 

Like chaff from a threshing floor. 

He goes on Sunday to the church, 

And sits among his boys; 
He hears the parson pray and preach, 

He hears his daughter's voice, 
Singing in the village choir, 

And it makes his heart rejoice. 

It sounds to him like her mother's voice, 

Singing in Paradise! 
He needs must think of her once more, 

How in the grave she lies; 
And with his hard, rough hand he wipes 

A tear out of his eyes. 

Toiling — rejoicing — sorrowing, 

Onward through life he goes; 
Each morning sees some task begun, 

Each evening sees it close; 
Something attempetd, something done, 

Has earned a night's repose. 



54 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend, 
For the lesson thou hast taught! 

Thus at the flaming forge of life 
Our fortunes must be wrought; 

Thus on its sounding anvil shaped 
Each burning deed and thought! 

— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

Have the entire poem copied. 
Spend the rest of the week in having the 
poem committed to memory. 



SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
Write answers to the following: 

Where does the village smithy stand? 

Describe the smith. 

Write another word whose meaning is similar 
to "bravery/' 

What is meant by "crisp" hair? 

Why should the smith's face be brown, as 
though tanned? 

Why is sweat called "honest"? 

By doing what kinds of work does a smith 
earn his living? 

Why should the smith be able to look the 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 55 

whole world in the face because he owes no 
one anything? 

Has the world a face? What, then, is meant 
by "looking the whole world in the face" ? 

Tuesday 

Describe the bellows used by the blacksmith. 

What is the sledge used by the blacksmith? 

Why is the sledge made heavy? Why is it 
swung slowly? 

What is meant by ' ' measured ' ' beat? What is 
a musical measure? 

What is a sexton? Where was the village 
bell hung, then? Why was it called the " village " 
bell? 

When is the evening sun low? 

What is a "forge"? 

Why do bellows "roar"? 

What is "chaff"? What is a threshing floor? 
How is grain threshed now-a-days? How was 
it usually threshed when this poem was written? 

Wednesday 

What members of the smith's family are 
mentioned in the poem? What is a parson? 



56 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

What is a "choir" 

Write a word whose meaning is similar to that 
of "rejoice." 

Why is the smith's hand "hard and rough"? 
Write a list of the adjectives used in the poem 
which are used to describe the smith. 

Thursday 

Write a word that might have been used in 
place of "toiling." Which is the more poetic 
word? 

What is a "task." 

What is meant by a "night's repose"? Write 
another word meaning repose. 

Why does something done earn repose? 

What is the lesson which the smith teaches? 

Friday 
Write ten sentences, describing the smith. 



THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Conversation on signs of the coming of 
winter. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 57 

Tuesday 
For dictation: 

You cannot change yesterday, that is clear, 
Or begin tomorrow until it is here. 
So the only thing left, for you and for me, 
Is to make to-day as sweet as can be. 

Wednesday 

Have pupils write about Columbus and the 
discovery of America. 

Thursday 

Write an invitation to Hallowe'en exercises 
to be held at the school. 

Friday 

Write an answer to the invitation written 
the day before, accepting the invitation. 



FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
Write ten sentences containing the word red. 

Tuesday 

Write five sentences, each sentence to end 
with a word rhyming with hat. 



58 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 
Write a description of some Hallowe'en trick. 

Thursday 

Play the game of "Who am I?" Each pupil 
play he is some object in the room. He must 
describe himself so that the rest can guess his 
name. Each pupil begins his description: "I 
am not myself. See if you can guess my name." 
Then follows the description. The pupil who 
first guesses the object from the description, 
describes himself next. 

Friday 
Have a spelling match. 



NOVEMBER 

FIRST YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 
Monday 

How many days has November? How many 
days had October? What month comes after 
November? What day in November do we 
celebrate? Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? 
How do we celebrate Thanksgiving? What 
kind of weather do we have in November? 
What season is this? What season follows 
autumn? 

Tuesday 
For the children to learn by heart: 

To have willing feet, 
A smile that is sweet, 
A kind, pleasant word 
For all that you meet — 
That's what it is to be helpful. 



60 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 

Tell the children about the Pilgrims: How 
they became dissatisfied with conditions in 
England, because they were not allowed to 
worship as they wished; their going to Holland, 
and finally their coming to New England, in the 
Mayflower. Tell about the landing at Ply- 
mouth; about little Peregrine White. If pos- 
sible, show some of the Boughton pictures of 
life in Plymouth. 

Thursday 

Tell the children how there was suffering 
among the Pilgrims, and their fear that they 
might starve. Tell, with all possible vividness, 
about the coming of the welcome ship from 
England; and then, the appointment of a 
day of Thanksgiving. 

Friday 

Tell the children what the people had to eat 
on that first Thanksgiving Day. Tell the story 
of the corn, and how the Indians had supplied 
the seed and taught the Pilgrims how to raise 
it. Where did they get their turkey for the 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 61 

dinner? Why do we like to have turkey for 
Thanksgiving dinner? 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Teach the children the first three stanzas 
of the great Thanksgiving poem: 

THANKSGIVING DAY 

Over the river and through the wood, 
To grandfather's house we'll go. 

The horse knows the way 

To carry the sleigh 
Through the white and drifted snow. 

Over the river and through the wood, 
To have a first-rate play, 
Hear the bells ring, 
u Ting-a-ling-ding I" 
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day! 

Over the river and through the wood, 
Now grandmother's cap I spy! 

Hurrah for the fun! 

Is the pudding done? 
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie! 

— Lydia Maria Child 

On Monday recite the poem yourself, allow- 
ing the children to say, "Over the river and 



62 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

through the wood/' as each stanza is recited. 
You can recite the poem half a dozen times in 
this way, and the children will enjoy their 
part as well as yours. 

Tuesday 

Teach the children the last line of each of the 
three stanzas of the poem. 

Wednesday 

Teach the children the whole of the first 
stanza of the poem. 

Thursday 

Teach the children the second stanza of the 
poem. 

Friday 

Teach the children all three stanzas of the 
poem. 

THIRD WEEK 
Monday 

Spend this whole week playing Pilgrim life 

in old New England. Have the children land 

from the Mayflower on the Plymouth Rock. 

A desk or chair, or a box will serve for the rock. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 63 

The passengers will wear their hats, and books 
will serve as luggage. 

Tuesday 

Play Pilgrim Sunday. The children can 
march towards church two by two, with sticks 
or wands for guns. Tell about the old churches, 
with their square pews, high pulpits, and 
sounding board. Explain the duties of the 
tithing man. If possible, show pictures to 
illustrate the church scenes. 

Wednesday 

Play the daily life of the Pilgrims. Pretend 
to spin, explaining the process; weave, make 
candles, pound corn to make Indian meal, 
cook over the fireplace, etc. 

Thursday 

Things we have to be thankful for: Let the 
children suggest. 

Friday 

The Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey. 
Talk about how it is raised, what it looks like, 
how it is cooked. 



64 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

The vegetables on the Thanksgiving table. 
The bread. The fruit. The nuts. 

Tuesday 

Here is a simple version of the Thanksgiving 
story, to tell to the children, in its proper place 
in connection with the lessons of the month. 

THE THANKSGIVING STORY 

Once upon a time, some of the people of England 
were in great trouble. The king would not allow 
them to worship God in the way they thought right. 

When they said they must do what they thought 
right, some of them were whipped, and some of them 
were put in prison. 

At last they decided to leave England, and go to 
some other country. And they did go, in a ship, to 
a land where everybody dressed so differently, and 
spoke such a different language that the English boys 
and girls could not at first understand them. Holland 
was the name of the country. How many of you 
have seen pictures of the Dutch children, who live in 
Holland? How many of you have seen pictures of 
Dutch windmills? 

Now in Holland, in the course of time, the Dutch 
and Vie English children became very good friends. 
Befoie very long the English boys and girls were 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 65 

talking Dutch as easily as if they had been born in 
Holland, and had never heard of any other country. 

"My, my," said good Father Brewster, the leader 
of the Puritans, as they were called. "This will never 
do. We want our children to talk English, and to 
love England and her ways" — for the Puritans still 
loved their country and their flag, just as we love 
our beautiful flag with the stars and stripes. 

"They say," said Father Brewster, "that far away 
over the ocean there is a land called America. Let 
us go to America. There we can build houses like 
those we had in England, and there our children can 
be brought up as English people. Yes, we will go 
to America." 

So the Puritans engaged two big ships, and started 
to sail from Holland to America. But one of the 
ships was too old and too worn out to cross the ocean, 
so all the people embarked on the other ship and 
sailed away. 

The ship was called the Mayflower. 

The Mayflower was crowded, and it rocked so that 
the boys and girls became very tired. They wished 
they could get off and play on land once more. 

But two beautiful presents came to interest and 
amuse them on the long voyage. And what do you 
think they were? Two little babies. One of them 
was named Peregrine White. The other was named 
Oceanus Hopkins, because he was born on the ocean. 

One morning the children looked far away across 
the water, and they could see a dark line. It was 
the land — America. 

The next day the sails of the ship were taken down, 
and the anchor was dropped in a little bay. Then 



66 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

some of the men climbed down from the ship into a 
small boat, and rowed to the shore to see what the 
place was like. In a little while they came back and 
called out, "Come, we will take you all ashore." 

Such a scurrying and hurrying as there was then! 
Back and forth the little boat went, until all the boys 
and girls, and men and women were on the shore. 

It was a very cold day, the twenty-second of Decem- 
ber, 1620. But they did not mind the cold. 

In a little time the men had built some log houses, 
and soon there was a church. The black rock on 
which the Pilgrims first stepped can be seen to-day. 
It is called Plymouth Rock. The first girl to step 
upon Plymouth rock was Mary Chilton. 

One day a visitor came to see the Pilgrims. He 
was an Indian. He had long, black hair. He was 
dressed in deerskin. He had a bow and arrows, to 
shoot birds and deer with. 

The Indian was very glad to see the white people. 
"Welcome, Englishmen," he said. He stayed over 
night with the Pilgrims, and the next morning went 
away. 

Soon he came back, bringing some friends with him. 

When spring came, the Indians showed the Pilgrims 
how to catch eels, and where to find fish. They also 
gave the Pilgrims corn to plant. They showed them 
how to plant the corn, putting a fish in each hill to 
make the corn grow well. 

All summer long the boys and girls played around 
the log-houses, and were very happy. There were 
beautiful wild-flowers, and bright-colored song-birds in 
the woods where they played. One flower that blos- 
somed in the early spring they named the Mayflower, 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 67 

for the ship in which they had come. The trailing 
arbutus has been called the Mayflower to this day. 

When the summer was ended, and all the corn and 
wheat were gathered in, the Pilgrims said, "Let us 
have Thanksgiving Day. We will thank God because 
he made the sun to shine, and the rain to fall, and 
the corn to grow." 

Then the mothers said, "We will have a Thanks- 
giving party, and invite the Indians. We will cook 
some of everything raised on the farms." 

The men shot deer, and wild geese, and wild turkeys 
for the dinner, and that is why we like to have roast 
goose or turkey for our Thanksgiving dinner. 

At last the Thanksgiving Day came. In the morn- 
ing everybody went to church. When they got home 
they found that all the Indians who had been invited 
had come. 

The Indians brought five large deer. The party 
lasted for three days. At each meal, before they 
began to eat, the Pilgrims and the Indians thanked God. 

In the evening the Indians sang and danced, and 
in the daytime they played games with the children. 

At last the party was over. When the Indians were 
going home the Pilgrims said, "Every year we shall 
have a time to thank God for all He has done for us. 
You must come and help us thank Him." 

So every year the Pilgrims had their Thanksgiving 
Day. When other people came to this country they 
said they would have Thanksgiving too. So for nearly 
three hundred years we have had the glad Thanks- 
giving Day. In what month does it come? On what 
day of November does it come this year? 

— Selected 



68 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 
A little prayer to be learned this month: 

May we be thankful for the night, 
And for the pleasant morning light, 
For rest, and food, and loving care, 
And all that makes the world so fair. 

May we do the things we should; 

May we be always kind and good, 

In all we do, in work or play, 

To grow more loving every day. — Selected 

Thursday 
Talk about signs of winter. 

Friday 
For the children to learn: 

Kind hearts are the gardens, 
Kind thoughts are the roots; 
Kind words are the flowers, 
Kind deeds are the fruits. 

SECOND YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 
Monday 

For dictation: 

Do all the good you can, 

To all you can, 

In all the ways you can. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 69 

Tuesday 

Talk about the way to set a table. What is 
put on the table first? Where do we place the 
knives? Where do we place the forks? Where 
do we place the spoons? Where do we place 
the glasses? Who serves the meat? Who serves 
the vegetables? Where are the meat and 
vegetables placed? Who serves the dessert? 
Who serves the tea or coffee? 

Wednesday 

Fable for reproduction: The Fox and the 
Grapes, One day a hungry fox started out 
to find something to eat. He saw some grapes, 
near the top of a tall grapevine. 

The fox tried to jump up and get the grapes 
but he could not reach them. He tried again 
and again, but it was of no use. 

As he walked away, he said, "I do not care 
for the grapes. They are sour." 

Thursday 

Have the children dramatize "The Fox and 
the Grapes." Hang a bunch of grapes over 
the door or let the children pretend that the 



70 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

grapes are hung there. Have the child who is 
to play the part of the fox walk along and look 
up eagerly at the bunch of grapes. 

"What beautiful grapes !" he says. "I wish 
I had some." 

Then he jumps and tries to reach them. He 
tries a second time, and a third. The last time 
he loses his balance and falls to the floor. He 
gets up, rubs his head, and says, "I do not care 
for the grapes. They are sour." 

Friday 

Write five sentences about the fox and the 
grapes. 

SECOND WEEK 
Monday 

Read the following poem to the children: 

APPLE-SEED JOHN 

Poor Johnny was bent well-nigh double 
With years of toil and care and trouble; 
But his large old heart still felt the need 
Of doing for others some kindly deed. 

"But what can I do?" old Johnny said; 
u I who work so hard for daily bread? 

It takes heaps of money to do much good; 

I am far too poor to do as I would." 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 71 

The old man sat thinking deeply awhile, 
When over his features gleamed a smile, 
And he clapped his hands with boyish glee, 
And said to himself, "There's a way for me!" 

He worked and he worked with might and main, 
But no one knew the plan in his brain; 
He took ripe apples in pay for chores, * 
And carefully cut from them all the cores. 

He fiilled a bag full, then wandered away, 
And no man saw him for many a day. 
With knapsack over his shoulder slung, 
He marched along, and whistled or sung. 

He seemed to roam with no object in view, 
Like one who had nothing on earth to do; 
But, journeying thus o'er the prairies wide, 
He paused now and then, and his bag untied. 

With pointed cane deep holes he would bore, 
And in every hole he placed a core; 
Then covered them well, and left them there 
In keeping of sunshine, rain and air. 

Sometimes for days he waded through grass, 
And saw not a living creature pass, 
But often, when sinking to sleep in the dark, 
He heard the owls hoot, and the prairie dogs bark. 

Sometimes an Indian of sturdy limb 
Came striding along and walked with him; 
And he who had food shared with the other, 
As if he had met a hungry brother. 



72 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

When the Indian saw how the bag was filled, 
And looked at the holes that the white man drilled, 
He thought to himself 'twas a silly plan 
To be planting seed for some future man. 

Sometimes a log cabin came in view, 
Where Johnny was sure to find jobs to do, 
By which he gained stores of bread and meat, 
And welcome rest for his weary feet. 

He had full many a story to tell, 
And goodly hymns that he sang right well; 
He tossed up the babes, and joined the boys 
In many a game full of fun and noise. 

And he seemed so hearty, in work or play, 
Men, women and boys all urged him to stay; 
But he always said, "I have something to do, 
And I must go on to carry it through/' 

The boys, who were sure to follow him round, 
Soon found what it was he put in the ground; 
And so as time passed and he traveled on, 
Ev'ry one called him "Old Apple-seed John." 

Whenever he'd used the whole of his store, 
He went into cities and worked for more; 
Then he marched back to the wilds again, 
And planted seed on hillside and plain. 

In cities, some said the old man was crazy; 
While others said he was only lazy; 
But he took no notice of gibes and jeers, 
He knew he was working for future years. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 73 

He knew that trees would soon abound 
Where once a tree could not have been found; 
That a flick'ring play of light and shade 
Would dance and glimmer along the glade; 

That blossoming sprays would form fair bowers, 
And sprinkle the grass with rosy showers; 
And the little seeds his hands had spread 
Would become ripe apples when he was dead. 

So he kept on traveling far and wide, 

Till his old limbs failed him and he died. 

He said at the last, "Tis a comfort to feel 

I've done good in the world, though not a great deal. 

Weary travelers, journeying west, 
In the shade of his trees find pleasant rest; 
And they often start, with glad surprise, 
At the rosy fruit that round them lies. 

And if they inquire whence came such trees, 
Where not a bough once swayed in the breeze, 
The answer still comes, as they travel on, 
" These trees were planted by Apple-seed John." 

— Lydia Maria Child, in St. Nicholas 

Tuesday 

Have the children tell back to you the story 
of Apple-seed John, Ask the following ques- 
tions, or similar questions. What did Apple- 
seed John look like? Was he old or young? 
What did he wish that he might do for people? 



74 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

How did he get his apple cores? How did he 
carry his apple cores? How did he plant the 
cores? What did he do when his bag was 
empty? Why was he called "Old Apple-seed 
John"? What happened to the cores that he 
planted? What kind of trees grew from the 
apple seeds? Who could eat the apples? Do 
you think his plan of planting apple-trees, a 
nice one? 

Wednesday 
Write five sentences about Apple-seed John. 

Thursday 

Write a letter to a friend, telling about Apple- 
seed John. 

Friday 
Play Apple-seed John. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 
Have the children copy the following: 

LITTLE MISS MUFFET 

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, 

Eating of curds and whey; 
There came a big spider, and sat down beside her, 

And frightened Miss Muffet away. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 75 

Tuesday 

Allow the pupils to dramatize Little Miss 
Muffet: 

Have a little girl sit on a dry-goods box, hold- 
ing either a real or a play bowl and spoon. 
She pretends to eat from the bowl. Have a 
boy place quietly beside her one of the very 
realistic Japanese spiders. Suddenly she sees 
it. She jumps up and runs away. Meanwhile 
the other children recite the ryhme. 

Wednesday 
Have the children copy: 

Blow, wind, blow! 

And go, mill, go! 
That the miller may grind his corn; 

That the baker may take it, 

And into rolls make it, 
And send us some hot in the morn. 

Thursday 

Write a word that describes: wind, mill, 
miller, corn, baker, rolls. 

Friday 

Write answers to the following, in complete 
sentences: 



76 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

What does the wind do? 
What does the wind do to the mill? 
What does the miller do to the corn? 
What does the baker do to the meal? 
What becomes of the rolls? 

FOURTH WEEK 
Monday 

Have the children tell, orally, the Thanks- 
giving story. 

Tuesday 

Talk about the chicken: Where does the 
chicken come from? What is the color of 
little chickens? What are the colors of hens? 
How do a chicken's feathers change as the 
chicken grows? How many feet has a hen? 
How many eyes? What kind of a bill? How 
does a hen drink? 

Wednesday 

Talk about the duck: How does a duck differ 
in appearance from a hen? What are young 
ducks called? How does a duck's bill differ 
from a hen's bill? How do the feet differ? 
What can a duck do, that a hen cannot? 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 77 

Thursday 

The turkey: Why is this the favorite bird for 
the Thanksgiving table? How does the turkey 
differ in appearance, from the hen? From the 
duck? What is the male turkey called? Why? 
Which do you like best to eat — chicken, duck, 
goose, or turkey? 

Friday 
Dramatize and play, the story of Chicken 

Little- 

THIRD YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
Rewrite this story in five sentences. 

WHY THE CHIPMUNK HAS BLACK STRIPES 

Once upon a time the porcupine was made chief 
of the animals. He called all the animals together 
for a great council. 

The animals seated themselves around a big fire. 
The porcupine said, "We have a great question to 
decide. It is this: "Shall we have daylight all the time 
or night all the time?" 

All the animals began to talk at once. Some wanted 
one thing, some another. The bear wanted it to be 
dark all the time. In his big, deep voice he said, 
"Always night! Always night!" 

The little chipmunk, in a loud, high voice, said, 
"Day will come! Day will come!" 



78 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

The council was held at night. While the animals 
were talking the sun rose. The bear and the other 
night animals were angry. The chipmunk saw the 
light coming, and started to run away. The angry 
bear ran after him and struck him on the back with 
his paw. 

Since then, the chipmunk has always had black 
stripes on his back, and daylight always follows night- 

— Selected 
Tuesday 

Rewrite these sentences, filling the blank 
spaces: 

The chipmunk black stripes. 

The porcupine said, "We a question to 

decide/' 

The chipmunk said, "Day come/' 

The bear it to be dark. 

The council held at night. 

The chipmunk the light coming, and 



to run away. 

The angry bear him with his paw. 

Wednesday 
For dictation: 

I go to the library every Saturday. 
I find a book that I would like to read. 
I hand the book and my card to the librarian. 
She puts the date on my card. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 79 

Thursday 

Write a paragraph about the proper manner of 
sitting. What is the result, if a person has a 
habit of sitting badly? 

Friday 

Answer each of the following questions, as a 
complete sentence: 

How many days has November? 

In what month is Thanksgiving Day? 

Where do the birds go, before winter comes? 

In what month does Christmas come? 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Write the following poem on the blackboard, 
and make it the topic for an oral lesson, dis- 
cussing how fruit grows on tree and vine; 
growth of the plants; the likeness of the plants 
to us; the ethical lesson. 

PLANT SONG 

0, where do you come from, berries red, 
Nuts, apples, and plums, that hang ripe overhead, 
Sweet, juicy grapes, with your rich purple hue, 
Saying, "Pick us and eat us; we're growing for you"? 



80 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

0, where do you come from, bright flowers and fair, 
That please with your colors and fragrance so rare, 
Growing with sunshine or sparkling with dew? 
"We are blooming for dear little flowers like you." 

Our roots are our mouths, taking food from the ground, 
Our leaves are our lungs, breathing air all around; 
Our sap, like your blood, our veins courses through — 
Don't you think, little children, we're somewhat like 
you? 

Your hearts are the soil, your thoughts are the seeds; 
Your lives may become useful plants or foul weeds; 
If you think but good thoughts your lives will be true, 
For good men and women were once children like you. 

— Nellie M. Brown 

Tuesday 
Write a list of the nouns in the " Plant Song." 

Wednesday 

For dictation: 

"He that is slow to anger is better than the 
mighty: and he that ruleth his spirit than he 
that taketh a city." 

Thursday 

Write the following nursery rhyme in large 
letters, on oak tag. Cut into separate words, 
and place the words in envelopes, one set for 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 81 

each pupil. The pupils are to place the words 
on their desks, so as to form the complete rhyme. 

Hey, diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle: 

The cow jumped over the moon: 
The little dog laughed to see such sport, 

And the dog ran away with the spoon. 

Friday 

Copy the following sentences, filling the blank 
spaces: 

This November. 

The birds are to the south. 

The leaves are from the trees. 

Thanksgiving this month. 

Winter soon be . 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Have the children copy half of the following 
poem in their composition books: 

WHAT THE SNOWBIRDS SAID 

"Cheep, cheep," said some little snow-birds, 
As the snow came whirling down; 
"We haven't a nest, 
Or a place to rest, 
Save this oak-tree bending down." 



82 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

"Cheep, cheep/' said the little Wee- Wing, 
The smallest bird of all; 
"I have never a care, 
In the winter air — 
God cares for great and small." 

"Peep, peep/' said her father, Gray-Breast, 
"You're a thoughtless bird, my dear, 

We all must eat, 

And warm our feet, 
When snow and ice are here." 

"Cheep, cheep," said the little Wee- Wing, 
You are wise and good, I know; 

But think of the fun 

For each little one, 
When we have ice and snow. 

"Now I can see, from my perch on the tree, 
The merriest, merriest sight — 
Boys skating along 
On the ice so strong — 
"Cheep, cheep, how merry and bright!" 

"And I see," said the Brownie Snow-bird, 
A sight that is prettier far — 

Five dear little girls, 

With clustering curls, 
And eyes as bright as a star." 

"And I," said his brother, Bright-Eyes, 
"See a man of ice and snow; 

He wears a queer hat, 

His large nose is flat — 
The little boys made him, I know." 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 83 

"I see some sleds," said Mother Brown, 
"All filled with girls and boys; 

They laugh and sing, 

Their voices ring, 
And I like the cheerful noise." 

Then the snow-birds all said, "Cheep and chee, 
Hurrah for ice and snow; 

For the girls and boys, 

Who drop us crumbs, 
As away to their sport they go!" 

"Hurrah for the winter, clear and cold, 
When the dainty snowflakes fall! 

We will sit and sing, 

On our oaken swing, 
For God takes care of us all!" — Selected 

Tuesday 

Have the children copy the rest of the poem, 
"What the Snowbirds Said." 

Wednesday 
Write a list of the nouns in the poem. 

Thursday 
Write a list of the verbs in the poem. 

Friday 

Write five sentences, telling what the birds 
said. 



84 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Have the pupils tell you the story of Thanks- 
giving. 

Tuesday 

Have each child write about something that 
will be found on the Thanksgiving table, and 
have the others guess what is described: as 
pepper, salt, vinegar, bread, sugar, apples, etc. 

Wednesday 
Story for reproduction: 

THE GRUMBLING SNOWFLAKE 

The snowflakes were told to go down to the earth 
to keep it warm. All were glad to go except one. 
This little snowflake grumbled while the others were 
getting ready. 

"What is the use of going down to that great place?" 
he said. "I should be glad to keep the plants from 
freezing, but I never can. I am too small. I could 
not even cover one speck of that great earth. How- 
ever, if all the rest of the snowflakes are going, I sup- 
pose I shall have to go, too." 

The snowflakes had great fun as they fell. They 
danced and played, and they laughed when they 
thought they were going to be useful in the great world. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 85 

But the grumbling snowflake said, "If I were bigger, 
I might be of some use!" 

One little snowflake reached the earth, and then 
another. Last of all, the grumbling snowflake came 
down, too, but he did not see the brown earth. It 
was all covered with a white snow-blanket. 

Every little flake had covered a tiny bit of the brown 
earth, until the ground was all covered up for the 
winter. 

"I was wrong," said the grumbling snowflake. "I 
will not grumble again." — Adapted 

Have the pupils reproduce the story orally. 

Thursday 

Have the pupils rewrite the story of the 
grumbling snowflake, in their own words. 

Friday 

Write a letter to a cousin, telling why you 
like November. 

FOURTH YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

Pass around well-known pictures, if possible, 
have as many different pictures as there are 
children. Have each pupil describe his picture. 



86 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Tuesday 
For dictation: 

EVENING HYMN 

Now the day is over, 

Night is drawing nigh, 
Shadows of the evening 

Steal across the sky. 

Now the darkness gathers, 

Stars begin to peep, 
Birds and beasts and flowers 

Soon will be asleep. 

— S. Baring-Gould 

Wednesday 

Original composition, on the signs of coming 
winter. What signs can be seen in the fields? 
What about the grass? The leaves? The sky? 
The birds? The cold? 

Thursday 
To be read, for written reproduction: 

THE WONDERFUL TRAVELING CLOAK 

One day a little old woman in gray visited Prince 
Dolor. She gave him a present. 

"What is this?" he asked, as he untied the many 
knots. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 87 

"It is a traveling cloak," she answered. 

"Oh," said the little prince, "I never go traveling. 
Sometimes nurse hoists me on a parapet, but I never 
go farther than that." 

"But this is not an ordinary cloak," said his god- 
mother. "It is a wonderful cloak. It will take you 
anywhere you wish to go. From it you may see any- 
thing you wish to see." 

"But how can I get out of the tower?" he asked. 

"Open the skylights," she said, "then sit in the 
middle of the cloak. Say your charm and out you 
will float through the blue sky on your wonderful 
cloak." — From "The Little Lame Prince." 

Friday 

Letters of introduction may be sent by mail, 
or be presented by the person introduced. 
In the latter case, the letter is never sealed. 
The envelope is addressed in the usual way, 
but in the lower left-hand corner is written, 
"Introducing Mr. Smith, or Miss Smith/' as 
the case may be. 

Write the above on" the blackboard. Have 
the pupils look up in the dictionary, and write 
out definitions of the following words: Intro- 
duction, presented, person, latter, addressed, 
usual, way. 



88 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Write sentences containing the irregular verbs 
go, went, gone, see saw, seen, am, was, been. 

Tuesday 
For dictation: 

Hail to the merry harvest time, 

The gayest of the year: 
The time of rich and bounteous crops, 

Rejoicing and good cheer. 

— Charles Dickens 

Wednesday 

Exercise for clearness of enunciation. Have 
the following read aloud by every child in turn, 
each word and syllable to be enunciated clearly. 

THE OWL 

In the hollow tree, in the old gray tower, 

The spectral owl doth dwell; 
Dull, hated, despised, in the sunshine hour, 

But at dusk he's abroad and well: 
Not a bird of the forest e'er mates with him; 

All mock him outright by day; 
But at night, when the woods grow still and dim, 

The boldest will shrink away. 
0, when the night falls, and roosts the fowl, 

Then, then is the reign of the horned owl ! 

— Barry Cornwall 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 89 

Thursday 
Selection to be memorized: 

He prayeth best, who loveth best 
All things both great and small, 

For the dear Lord who loveth us, 
He made and loveth all. — Coleridge 

Friday 

Write a letter of introduction for one of your 
classmates, to be addressed to the principal 
of the school, or the chairman of the committee 
of the school district. 



THIRD WEEK 
Monday 

Story for written reproduction: 

THE INDIAN CHILDREN 

Bright Eyes and Fawn Foot were two little Indian 
children. They lived in an Indian village near a 
swift river. 

All the people of this village belonged to one family 
or tribe. The bravest man was the chief. He had 
the finest wigwam. 

One day the Indians moved from the village to a 
place in the woods. Here they hoped to find game 
to live on through the winter. 

Little Fawn Foot helped her mother when they 



90 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

moved. Bright Eyes was carried on his mother's 
back. He was too small to help. 

When warm weather came they all moved back to 
the village. 

Outline: The Indian children and their home. The 
tribe. The removal. Fawn Foot and Bright Eyes at 
the moving. The return. — Selected 

Tuesday 

Write a list of the adjectives in the story, 
"The Indian children; a list of the nouns; a 
list of the verbs. 

Wednesday 

Write what you see in Boughton's picture, 
"The Return of the Mayflower." 

Thursday 

Write about an imaginary journey from Lon- 
don, England, to Boston. How long does it 
take to cross the ocean? What is the deck of 
a steamship? What is a stateroom like? 

Friday 

Write an advertisement asking for a position 
for yourself. 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
For dictation: 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 91 

THE GRAINS OF WHEAT 

Some grains of wheat lived in a sack. It was so 
dark that they all went to sleep. 

At last the sack was moved. The grains of wheat 
awoke. They heard some one say, "Take this sack 
to the mill." 

The grains of wheat had a long ride. When they 
reached the mill a man put them into a hopper. The 
grains of wheat were crushed between two stones. 

— Selected 

Tuesday 

Rewrite in your own words, the story of 
"The Grains of Wheat." 

Wednesday 

Write a letter to a friend, telling where wheat 
grows, how it grows, how flour is made, and how 
the flour is used. 

Thursday 

Describe how fire-drills are conducted in your 
school. 

Friday 

Talk about the coming of winter, and the 
indications that are apparent at this time. 



DECEMBER 

FIRST YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 
Monday 

Story, to be told to the children, and retold 

by them: 

THE WOODPECKER 

An old lady lived on a hill. 

She was very small, and she always wore a black 
dress and a large white apron with big bows behind. 

On her head she wore the queerest little red bonnet 
that you ever saw. 

The little old lady grew very selfish as the years 
went by. People said this was because she thought 
of no one but herself. 

One morning as she was baking cakes, a tired, hungry 
old man came up to her door. 

"My good woman/' said he, "will you give me one 
of your cakes? I am very hungry. I have no money, 
but whatever you first wish for you shall have." 

The old lady looked at her cakes and thought that 
they were too large to give away. So she broke off 
a small bit of dough and put it into the oven to bake. 

When it was done she thought that this one was too 
nice and brown for a beggar. So she baked a smaller 

92 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 93 

cake, and then a still smaller one, but each came out 
of the oven as nice and as brown as the first. 

At last she took a piece of dough as small as the 
head of a pin. Even this, when it was baked, was as 
large and as fine as the others. So the old lady put 
all the cakes on the shelf and offered the old man a 
crust of dry bread. 

The old man only looked at her, and before the 
old lady could wink, he was gone. 

The old lady thought a great deal about what she 
had done. She knew it was very wrong. 

"I wish I were a bird/' she said; "I would fly to 
him with the largest cake I have." 

As she spoke, she felt herself growing smaller and 
smaller. Suddenly the wind picked her up and carried 
her up the chimney. 

When she came out she still had on her red bonnet 
and black dress. You could see her white apron with 
the big bows. But she was a bird, just as she had 
wished to be. 

She was a wise bird, and at once she began to pick 
her food out of the hard wood of a tree. As people 
saw her at work, they called her the red-headed wood- 
pecker. 

Tuesday 

Have the children tell the story of the red- 
headed woodpecker, 

Wednesday 

Have the children play the story of the wood- 
pecker as a game. 



94 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thursday 
Write the word woodpecker. 

Friday 

Write: The Woodpecker has a red head. 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
Have the children write the words omitted: 

Old Hubbard 

Went to the board 

To get her poor a bone. 

But when she got , 

The board was bare, 

And so the poor had none. 

Tuesday 

Have the children give orally all the words 
they can think of that rhyme with dog. Write 
these in a list on the blackboard, and use them 
for drills in phonics. 

Wednesday 

Have the date and the word December written 
by the children. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 95 

Thursday 
To be committed to memory: 

WHAT MAKES CHRISTMAS 

Little wishes on white wings, 
Little gifts — such tiny things — 
Just one little heart that sings, 
Make a Merry Christmas. 

— Dorothy Howe 

Friday 
Have the children write: Merry Christmas. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

To be recited by the teacher and acted out 
by the children, as a game: 

WHEN SANTA CLAUS COMES 

Merrily, merrily, merrily, 0, 
The reindeer prances across the snow; 
We hear their tinkling silver bells, 
Whose merry music softly tells 
Old Santa Claus is coming. 

Merrily, merrily, merrily, 0, 

The evergreens in the woodland grow; 

They rustle gently in the breeze; 

0, don't you think the Christmas trees 

Know Santa Claus is coming? 



96 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Merrily, merrily, merrily, 0, 
We've hung our stockings in a row; 
Into our beds we softly creep, 
Just shut our eyes and go to sleep — 
And wait — for Santa Claus is coming. 

— Selected 

Tuesday 
Story for oral reproduction: 

BABY BUNTING'S FIRST CHRISTMAS 

Baby Bunting was ten months old before she had 
a Christmas. When the first Christmas came, she 
didn't know what it meant. When she saw the tree 
all covered with candles and apples and little baskets 
of candy, she smiled, and then laughed, and then 
crowed out loud. She shook her fat hands at the 
pretty sight, while Father and Mother and Sister 
Nora danced around her baby carriage. 

Then they began to take the presents off the tree. 
There was a fine clock for Mother and a pair of slip- 
pers for Father. Sister Nora had a beautiful doll. 

Baby Bunting herself had a warm little muff, some 
dainty socks, a pair of baby shoes, some picture books, 
and so many presents besides that it would take too 
long to tell about them all. 

Sister Nora was happy with her big wax doll. She 
named her Sally Bunting, and brought her to the 
carriage to make a call on her sister Baby Bunting. 

Baby was so pleased at this, that she almost talked. 
It seemed to Nora as if she really did talk to Sally. 
Perhaps Sally, the baby doll, could hear this talk 
better than anyone else. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 97 

I am sure Baby Bunting was saying that this was 
the best Christmas she had seen in ten months. 

— Adapted 

Wednesday 

Have the children tell the story of "Baby 
Bunting's First Christmas." 

Thursday 
To be committed to memory: 

CHRISTMAS SECRETS 

Secrets big and secrets small, 

On the eve of Christmas. 
Such keen ears has every wall, 
That we whisper, one and all, 

On the eve of Christmas. 

Secrets upstairs, secrets down, 

On the eve of Christmas. 
Papa brings them from the town, 
Wrapped in papers, stiff and brown, 

On the eve of Christmas. 

But the secret best of all, 

On the eve of Christmas, 
Steals right down the chimney tall, 
Fills our stockings one and all, 

On the eve of Christmas. 

— Alice E. Allen 



98 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Friday 

Help the children to learn "Christmas Se- 
crets/' 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Let the children play, as a game, " Christmas 
Secrets." 

Tuesday 

Continue learning the poem. Have the chil- 
dren write: Secrets big and secrets small. 

Wednesday 

Have each child name something that he 
would like or that he had for Christmas. Write 
these in a list on the blackboard, the simplest of 
them to be read afterwards by the little folks. 

Thursday 

Talk about what the children did on Christmas 
Day. 

Friday 

Talk with the children about winter; the 
close of the old year, and the coming of the new 
year. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 99 

SECOND YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
For dictation: 

Sing soft! sing low! 
The time of the snow 
Is December. 
Tuesday 

Talk about the beginning of winter. What 
is the first month of winter? What are the 
three winter months? What was^the month 
before December? What are the three autumn 
months? What season follows winter? What 
are the three spring months? What season fol- 
lows spring? What are the three summer months? 
How many days are there in December? 

Wednesday 
For drill in phonics, or for clear enunciation: 

There was a man and his name was Pat, 
He had a wife and her name was Mat; 
He had a rat and she had a cat; 
The cat was Mat's and the rat was Pat's, 

They all lived together, 

In all kinds of weather, 

Pat's rat and Mat's cat, 

Cat, rat, Mat and Pat. 



100 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thursday 
To be committed to memory: 

A CHRISTMAS VISIT 

When the children sound are sleeping, 

And the night is cold and clear; 
When the frost-elves watch are keeping, 

Some one comes our hearts to cheer. 
Fast he drives his reindeer prancing; 

No one hears his sleigh-bells ring, 
No one sees him soft advancing, 

No one knows what he will bring. 

He's a jolly soul, and merry, 

With his cheeks an autumn hue, 
And his nose is like a cherry 

While he's looking round for you. 
If he hears a child awaking, 

Quickly then he slips from sight, 
But if all a nap are taking 

Then he works away till light. 

Once a boy who was not sleeping, 

On Christmas morn stole through the hall; 
Slow and silent he went creeping, 

But no stocking found at all. 
And a girl who tiptoed, peeping 

Into rooms, and up the stair, 
In the morning they found weeping, 

For no Santa had been there. 

So, when merry folk you're greeting, 

And you long to strip your tree, 
When old Santa you'd be meeting, 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 101 

Wait, nor hurry down to see; 
For if you should hunt him early, 

Maybe he'd not come next year; 
He would be so cross and surly 

That he'd pass your house, I fear. 

— Mabel L. Gray 

Have the first two stanzas copied by the 
children. 

Friday 

Have the children copy the second two 
stanzas of "A Christmas Visit.' ' 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Pupils learn first stanza of "A Christmas 
Visit." 

Tuesday 
Pupils learn second stanza of the poem. 

Wednesday 
Pupils learn third stanza of the poem. 

Thursday 
Pupils learn fourth stanza of the poem. 

Friday 

Have the pupils recite the entire poem in 
concert. 



102 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Pupils write a list of the naming words (nouns) 
in "A Christmas Visit." 

Tuesday 
For dictation: 
All that's great and good is done — 
Just by trying. 

Wednesday 
Story for reproduction: 

THE SUNBEAMS 

The Sun was up. 

The sky in the east had told that he was on the 
way, for it had turned red and gold as he came near. 
He looked down on the earth, and there was a new 
day. So he sent out his beams to wake everybody 
from sleep. 

A beam came to the little birds in the trees, and 
they rose at once. They flew about, singing as loudly 
as they could. 

Then a beam came and waked the rabbit. He 
gave his eyes a rub and ran out into the green field 
to eat grass. 

Another beam came into the hen-house. The rooster 
flapped his wings and crowed. The hens flew into 
the yard to see what they could find to eat. 

A beam came to the beehive. A bee came out of 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 103 

the hive. He flew off to the fields to drink honey 
from the flowers. 

The beam that came to Johnny's bed awakened 
Johnny, but the boy would not get up. He went to 
sleep once more, though all the animals were up, and 
hard at work. — Adapted 

Thursday 

Have the children tell, in their own words, 
the story of "The Sunbeams/' 

Friday 

Children write five sentences, telling what 
the sunbeams did. 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Talk with the little folks about Christmas, 
its meaning, and the beauty of giving. 

Tuesday 

Have each child write three things he would 
like for Christmas. 

Wednesday 
Pupils tell what they did on Christmas Day. 

Thursday 

Talk about the year's holidays. How many 
are there? What are they? 



104 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Friday 

Children write a letter to a cousin, telling 
what they did on Christmas Day. 

THIRD YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
To be committed to memory: 

THE WIND AND THE MOON 

Said the Wind to the Moon, "I will blow you out. 

You stare 

In the air 
Like a ghost in a chair, 
Always looking what I am about; 
I hate to be watched; I will blow you out." 

The Wind blew hard, and out went the Moon, 

So deep, 

On a heap 

Of clouds, to sleep, 
Down lay the Wind, and slumbered soon — 
Muttering low, "I've done for that Moon." 

He turned in his bed; she was there again! 

On high, 

In the sky, 

With her one ghost eye, 
The Moon shone white and alive and plain, 
Said the Wind — "I will blow you out again." 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 105 

The Wind blew hard, and the Moon grew dim, 

With my sledge 

And my wedge 

I have knocked off her edge! 
If only I blow right fierce and grim, 
The creature will soon be dimmer than dim. 

He blew and blew, and she thinned to a thread, 

One puff 

More's enough 

To blow her to snuff! 
One good puff more where the last was bred, 
And glimmer, glimmer, glum will go the thread! 

He blew a great blast and the thread was gone; 

In the air 

Nowhere 

Was a moonbeam bare; 
Far off and harmless the shy stars shone; 
Sure and certain the Moon was gone! 

The Wind he took to his revels once more; 

On down, 

In town, 

Like a merry mad clown, 
He leaped and hallooed with whistle and war. 
What's that? The glimmering thread once more! 

But the Moon she knew nothing about the affair, 
For, high 
In the sky, 

With her one white eye, 
Motionless, miles above the air, 
She had never heard the great Wind blare. 

— George Macdonald 



106 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Have the first half of the poem copied. 

Tuesday 
Have the rest of the poem copied 

Wednesday 

Have the children commit to memory the first 
two stanzas of the poem. 

Thursday 

Children commit to memory the second two 
stanzas of the poem. 

Friday 

Children learn the fifth and sixth stanzas of 
the poem. 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Children learn the seventh and eighth stanzas 
of "The Wind and the Moon." 

Tuesday 
Children learn the rest of the poem. 

Wednesday 
Children recite the entire poem. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 107 

Thursday 

Children recite the poem- Write a list of 
the nouns in the poem. 

Friday 

Write a list of the doing words (verbs) in 
the poem. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 
For dictation: 

Little fairy snowflakes, 

Dancing in the flue; 
Old Mr. Santa Claus, 

What is keeping you? 
Tuesday 

Write a list of as many words rhyming with 

time, as you can think of. 

Wednesday 
Conversation about Christmas. 

Thursday 
Write five sentences about Christmas. 

Friday 

Children write a list of Christmas presents 
suitable for a boy, a list of presents suitable for 
a girl. 



108 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
Story for reproduction: 

A CLOUD STORY 

A long time ago, there lived a wonderful king. Each 
day this king came in his golden chariot, bringing 
light, heat, and happiness to all the people. 

Each day he passed from his palace in the east to 
his throne in the west. He never missed a day, for 
he wanted to make sure that everyone had a share 
of his gifts. 

For everybody, he had the birds sing and the flowers 
bloom. For everybody, he showed beautiful pictures, 
which changed every hour. 

The king had many beautiful daughters. They 
were often called swan maidens, because they rode 
upon beautiful white swans. 

When the swan maidens were with their father they 
wore soft white or gray dresses. 

Sometimes the king saw that the grass was brown, 
or the buds were not coming out. Then he said, 
"Swan maidens, who will go and work to-day?" 

Almost before he was through speaking, many of 
them had rushed away. Sometimes more of them 
came than could work upon the grass and buds. 

Then some of them ran off to play. But the best 
of them went down to feed the roots and the worms. 
They worked out of sight. 

But they always went back to their father, the king. 

Now it is very hard work to catch a swan maiden 
on her way back home. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 109 

A boy is sure he saw one of them on a ring in the 
tea-kettle steam. How many of them get away is 
a secret. 

When the king saw the flowers shiver in the fall, 
he called the bravest swan maidens to him. He told 
them that they must go away for a long time. 

Then each swan maiden put on a beautiful white 
dress, and came softly down, down to earth, with a 
warm blanket. 

These blankets they spread over the flowers and 
seeds. Every little flower went to sleep under the 
blanket. 

At last the king smiled, and their work was done. 
They slipped away home so softly that nobody missed 
them, but the boys and girls who loved the snow. 

— Adapted 

Tuesday 

Children tell "A Cloud Story" in their own 
words. 

Wednesday 
Children write the cloud story. 

Thursday 
Children write five sentences about snow. 

Friday 

Children write what they did on Christmas 
Day. 



110 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

FOURTH YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
To be committed to memory: 

SWEET AND LOW 

Sweet and low, sweet and low, 

Wind of the western sea, 
Low, low, breathe and blow, 

Wind of the western sea! 
Over the rolling waters go; 
Come from the dying moon and blow, 

Blow him again to me; 
While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps. 

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest, 

Father will come to thee soon. 
Rest, rest on mother's breast, 

Father will come to thee soon. 
Father will come to his babe in the nest; 
Silver sails all out of the west, 

Under the silver moon; 
Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep! 

— Alfred Tennyson 
Have the poem copied. 

Tuesday 
Pupils learn first stanza of the poem. 

Wednesday 
Pupils learn the entire poem. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 111 

Thursday 
Write about the life of Alfred Tennyson. 

Friday 

Write in complete sentences answers to the 
following questions: 

How is the sea to blow? 

Where is the wind to go? 

Where is the wind to come from? 

What is the blowing of the wind to do? 

What is the baby to do? 

When will father come? 

Where is the baby to rest? 

Where will father come? 

How will father come? 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Write a letter, addressed to Santa Claus, 
telling what you would like for Christmas. 

Tuesday 

Write a telegram of ten words, saying that 
you will go to some special place for Christmas. 



112 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 

Write the abbreviations for the days of the 
week and the months of the year. 

Thursday 

Have the children dramatize, in their own 

way: 

Old King Cole 

Was a merry old soul, 

And a merry old soul was he. 
He called for his pipe, 
He called for his bowl, 
And he called for his fiddlers three. 
Friday 

For dictation: 

Beautiful hands are those that do 
Work that is earnest and brave and true, 
Moment by moment, the long day through. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 
Talk about the signs of winter. 

Tuesday 
Pupils write about signs of winter. 

Wednesday 

Write a rhyme of two lines, containing the 
word snow. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 113 

Thursday 
Talk about winter sports. 

Friday 
Write about winter sports. 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
For dictation: 

He prayeth best, who loveth best, 
All things both great and small; 

For the dear God who loveth us, 
He made and loveth all. 

Tuesday 

Every child find a short quotation for some 
other pupil to read in class. 

Wednesday 
Write letters, telling why you like Christmas. 

Thursday 
Write a composition on snow. 

Friday 
Write a composition on snow. 

Friday 
Have a spelling match. 



JANUARY 

FIRST YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

Talk about the new year. What is this 
month called? What was last month? What 
is the name of the new year? What was the 
name of the last year? How many days has 
January? What season is this? What are the 
months of the winter season? What season 
comes after winter? 

Tuesday 
Write the word January; also the date. 

Wednesday 
To be taught to the children: 

Sixty seconds make a minute, 

Something sure you can learn in it; 

Sixty minutes make an hour, 

Work with all your might and power; 

Twenty-four hours make a day, 

Time enough for work and play. 

Seven days a week will make; 

You will learn, if pains you take. — Selected 

114 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 115 

Thursday 
Practise learning the rhyme of the day before. 

Friday 

Write: Seven days make a week. 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
Write: 

On Monday, when the weather is fair, 
I always wash the clothes. 

Tuesday 
Write: 

On Tuesday I can iron them, 
Even if it rains and snows. 

Wednesday 
Write: 

On Wednesday I do all the mending, 
I like the mending too. 

Thursday 
Write: 

On Thursday I receive my friends; 
I have nothing else to do. 



116 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Friday 
Write: 

Friday is the time to sweep, 
To dust, and set things right. 

The teacher may recite the following to the 
children, then have the entire poem of the week 
played as a game, with appropriate actions: 

On Saturday I always cook, 
Then put all work from sight. 

And Sunday is the day of rest; 
I go to church dressed in my best. 

— Selected 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Learn the names of the months, by having 
a procession of children representing the various 
months, led by the New Year. The little folks 
will enjoy the game, and will learn the names of 
the twelve months, in their order, without 
realizing that they are doing anything but play. 

Tuesday 

Story poem, to be recited (or read, if needs 
must) to the children, by the teacher: 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 117 

A MYSTERY 

I put my coat and furs and mittens on, to go 
With my cunning Christmas sled, out to see the pretty 
snow. 

I made some little balls, and they looked as white and 

nice — 
I tried how one would taste, but it was just as cold as 

ice. 

I took some to the kitchen then, because I thought, you 

see, 
I'd bake them just like apples — they'd be good with 

cream and tea. 

I didn't say a single word about it to the cook, 

When I put them in the oven, but when she gave a look, 

She stared, and held her hands up, and said : u For pity's 

sake! 
Who put this water in here, and spoiled my ginger 

cake?" 

I couldn't tell. It wasn't I; but I would like to know, 
Where did my pretty apples, that I was baking, go? 

— Selected 

After reciting the poem, ask the children what 
became of the snow apples. 

Wednesday 

Talk about snow; snowballs; sliding on the 
snow; sleighing; a snow man. 



118 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thursday 
Write: I can make a snowball. 

Friday 
To be told; for the children to guess: 

WHAT AM I? 

I live in a hole just above somebody's chin. I have 
to stay there, for I am fastened in. 

It is because of me that boys and girls like good 
things to eat. To please me, they eat candy and fruit. 

It is because of me that boys and girls are often kept 
after school. They forget, and use me when they 
ought not to. 

I am always wanting to taste, taste, taste. I am 
always wanting to talk, talk, talk. 

Who can guess what I am? 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Children write the words necessary to com- 
plete the following: 

Jack and 



Went up the , 

To get a of water. 

fell down 

And his crown, 

And came tumbling after. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 119 

Tuesday 

Have the children give all the words they can 
that rhyme with hat. Write the list on the 
blackboard, and use it for drill in phonics. 

Wednesday 
To be taught to the children: 

If you can't be the big sun, with his cheery smile, 
You can be the cheerful sunbeam for a little while. 

Thursday 

Play "I am thinking of something/' using 
objects in the school-room. 

Friday 

Have the children mention as many objects 
as they can think of that are blue; green; yel- 
low; white. 

SECOND YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

To be committed to memory: 

LADY MOON 

Lady Moon, Lady Moon, where are you roving? 

"Over the sea." 
Lady Moon, Lady Moon, whom are you loving? 

"All that love me." 



120 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Are you not tired with roving and never 

Resting to sleep? 
Why look so pale and so sad, as forever 

Wishing to weep? 

"Ask me not this, little child, if you love me: 
You are too bold. 
I must obey my dear Father above me, 
And do as I'm told." 

Lady Moon, Lady Moon, where are you roving? 

"Over the sea." 
Lady Moon, Lady Moon, whom are you loving? 

"All that love me." 

— Lord Houghton 

Have the first stanza of the poem copied and 
learned. 

Tuesday 

Have the second stanza of the poem copied 
and learned. 

Wednesday 

Have the third stanza of the poem copied 
and learned. 

Thursday 

Have the fourth stanza of the poem copied 
and learned. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 121 

Friday 
Have the poem recited, throughout. 

SECOND WEEK 
Monday 

For dictation: 

Be kind in all you say and do, 
That others may be kind to you. 
Tuesday 

Talk about snowflakes; if possible, showing 
some of the single flakes. Where do the snow- 
flakes come from? What becomes of them if 
they are taken into a warm room? What be- 
comes of them when they fall? What becomes 
of the snow when the weather gets warm? 
How does the snow help the grass and flowers? 
(Keeps them warm during the cold winter.) 
Why is snow sometimes called a blanket? 

Wednesday 
Story for oral reproduction: 

A WISE DOG 

One night a farmer was riding home along a lane 
which had walls on both sides. Suddenly he heard his 
dog barking on the farther side of the wall. 

The man stopped his horse and started to see what 
was the matter. 



122 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

The night was very cold. Snow lay on the ground. 
Sitting on a large stone was the farmer's little daughter. 

The child had left the house and had wandered out 
into the meadow. 

The dog had followed her, keeping close at her heels. 
Now he was barking for some one to come and take the 
little girl home. She had lost her way, and was crying. 

The father looked at the footprints in the snow. 
He saw that his little daughter had walked close beside 
a deep hole. 

She had walked all the way round the hole. But the 
wise dog had gone, all the time, between the little girl 
and the great hole. 

Was he not a wise dog? — Adapted 

Thursday 

Children tell the story of the lost child and 
the dog. 

Friday 

Write three sentences about the little girl 
and the dog. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Supply words to fill the following blanks: 

My dog Spot is . 

He eats . 



Spot can . 

When I run, Spot too. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 123 

Tuesday 
To be committed to memory: 

Hearts, like doors, will ope with ease, 

To very, very little keys; 
And don't forget that two of these 

Are, "Thank you, sir," and "If you please." 

— Selected 

Wednesday 

Write a list of ten objects to be seen in the 
school-room, 

Thursday 

Talk about bread. Who makes the bread we 
eat? What is it made of? Where does the 
flour come from? Where does wheat grow? 
How does wheat grow? How is the wheat made 
into flour? How is the flour made into bread? 

Friday 
Write three sentences about bread. 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Children write their fathers' and mothers' 
names. 



124 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Tuesday 
For dictation: 

When the cold wind blows, 
Look out for your nose. 

Wednesday 

Talk about how we are protected from cold, 
by clothing and by artificial heat. How is the 
school-room warmed? How are the children's 
homes warmed? Why is it unnecessary for 
stables to be heated? 

Thursday 
A riddle for the children to guess: 

I am as black, as black can be, 

But yet I shine. 
My home was deep within the earth, 

In a dark mine. 
Years ago I was buried there, 

And yet I hold 
The sunshine and the heat, which warmed 

That world of old. 
Though black and cold I seem to be, 

Yet I can glow. 
Just put me on a blazing fire — 

Then you will know. — Selected 

Friday 
Write three sentences about coal- 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 125 

THIRD YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 
Monday 

To be committed to memory: 

CHILD'S EVENING PRAYER 

Now the day is over, 

Night is drawing nigh; 
Shadows of the evening 

Steal across the sky. 

Low the darkness gathers, 

Stars begin to peep; 
Birds and beasts and flowers 

Soon will be asleep. 

Through the long night-watches, 

May Thine angels spread 
Their white wings above me, 

Watching round my bed. 

When the morn awakens, 

Then may I arise, 
Pure and fresh and sinless, 

In Thy holy eyes. — S. Baring-Gould 

Have the poem copied. 

Tuesday 
Learn the first verse of the poem. 



126 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 
Learn the rest of the poem. 

Thursday 
Recite the entire poem. 

Friday 

Write a list of the naming words (nouns) in the 
"Child's Evening Prayer." 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Write a list of the doing words (verbs), in 
the "Child's Evening Prayer/' 

Tuesday 

Write a letter to a playmate, telling what you 
did on a recent Saturday. 

Wednesday 
For dictation: 

Boats sail on the rivers, 

And ships sail on the seas, 
But clouds that sail across the sky 

Are prettier far than these. — Selected 

Thursday 
Write five sentences about clouds. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 127 

Friday 
Write a list of ten objects that are blue. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Each child write eight sentences, describing 
some other child in the room, telling: Color of 
hair, color of eyes, kind of complexion, height 
(guessed at), age, costume worn, size of shoes 
(guessed at), and size of gloves. 

Tuesday 
Write a rhyme of four lines about a dog. 

Wednesday 

Write a list of the objects to be seen in the 
school-room. Who can write the longest list? 

Thursday 
Have the following poem copied: 

WINTER EVENING 

What way does the wind come? Which way does he 

go? 
He rides over the water, and over the snow, 
Through wood, and through vale; and o'er rocky 

height, 
Which the great cannot climb, takes his sounding 

flight; 



128 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

He tosses about in every bare tree, 
As, if you look up, you may plainly see; 
But how he will come, and whither he goes, 
There's never a scholar anywhere knows. 

He will suddenly stop in a cunning nook, 

And ring a sharp 'larum; but, if you should look, 

There's nothing to see but a cushion of snow, 

Round as a pillow, and whiter than milk, 

And softer than if it were covered with silk. 

Sometimes he'll hide in the cave of the rock, 

Then whistle as shrill as a cuckoo clock. 

Yet seek him — and what shall you find in his place? 

Nothing but silence and empty space; 

Save, in a corner, a heap of dry leaves, 

That he's left, for a bed, to beggars or thieves! 

— Dorothy Wordsworth 

Friday 

Pupils write a list of the nouns in the poem, 
"Winter Evening/' 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Pupils write a list of the verbs in the poem, 
"Winter Evening. " 

Tuesday 

Write five sentences telling what the wind 
does. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 129 

Wednesday 

Children find answers to the following ques- 
tions, in any way they can: 

What little children wear wooden shoes? 

What little children wear moccasins? 

What little children wear shoes of fur? 

What children wear shoes of silk or satin? 

What children wear shoes of leather? 

Thursday 

Write five sentences about the different kinds 
of shoes children wear. 

Friday 

Write five sentences about the shoes you have 
on. 

FOURTH YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

To be committed to memory: 

SONG OF THE BROOK 

I come from haunts of coot and hern, 

I make a sudden sally, 
And sparkle out among the fern 

To bicker down a valley. 



130 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

By thirty hills I hurry down, 
Or slip between the ridges, 

By twenty thorps, a little town 
And half a hundred bridges. 

Till last by Philip's farm I flow, 
To join the brimming river, 

For men may come and men may go, 
But I go on forever. 

I chatter over stony ways, 
In little sharps and trebles, 

I bubble into eddying bays, 
I babble on the pebbles. 

With many a curve my banks I fret 
By many a field and fallow, 

\And many a fairy foreland set 
With willow weed and mallow. 

I chatter, chatter, as I flow 
To join the brimming river; 

For men may come and men may go, 
But I go on forever. 

I wind about, and in and out, 
With here a blossom sailing, 

And here and there a lusty trout, 
And here and there a grayling. 

And here and there a foamy flake 

Upon me, as I travel, 
With many a silvery water-break, 

Above the golden gravel. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 131 

And draw them all along, and flow 

To join the brimming river, 
For men may come and men may go, 

But I go on forever. 

I steal by lawns and grassy plots, 

I slide by hazel covers; 
I move the sweet forget-me-nots 

That grow for happy lovers. 

I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance 
Among my skimming swallows; 

I make the melted sunbeams glance 
Against my sandy shallows. 

I murmur under moon and stars 

In brambly wildernesses; 
I linger by my shingly bars — 

I loiter round my cresses. 

And out again I curve and flow 

To join the brimming river, 
For men may come and men may go, 

But I go on forever. — Alfred Tennyson 

Have the first six stanzas of the poem copied. 

Tuesday 
Have the rest of the poem copied. 

Wednesday 

Pupils commit to memory the first three 
stanzas of the poem- 



132 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thursday 

Commit to memory the second three stanzas 
of the poem. 

Friday 

Commit to memory the third three stanzas 
of the poem. 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Commit to memory the rest of the poem. 

Tuesday 
Recite the entire poem. 

Wednesday 
Study up the life of Alfred Tennyson. 

Thursday 
Answer the following questions: 
Where does the brook come from? 
What is a "coot"? (See dictionary.) 
What is a "hern"? (See dictionary.) 
What does the brook do among the ferns? 
What is meant by the brook's "bickering"? 
How does the brook come down by thirty 

hills? 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 133 

What is meant by the brook's "slipping" 
between the ridges? 
What is a "thorp"? 

Friday 

Answer the following questions: 

What is meant by a "brimming river"? 

How does the brook join the river? 

How does the brook go on forever? 

How does the brook get the water to keep on 
flowing forever? 

What is meant by the brook's "chattering"? 

What causes the noises Of the brook? 

What are "sharps and trebles"? 

What is an "eddying bay"? What is an eddy? 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Answer the following questions: 

What is the meaning of "fret"? 

How does the brook fret the banks with its 
curves? 

What is a "foreland"? 

What is "willow-weed"? 

What is "mallow"? 

What makes the brook wind about? 



134 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

How do blossoms happen to be sailing on the 
water? 
Whereabouts in the brook do the trout stay? 
What is a "grayling"? 

Tuesday 

Answer the following questions: 

What is a "water-break" ?j 

What is "gravel"? 

Why is the gravel called golden? 

What are some of the things that the brook 
carries along to the river? 

What is meant by "hazel covers"? 

Why are the forget-me-nots said to "grow for 
happy lovers"? 

Wednesday 

Answer the following questions: 

How does the brook go? 

What is meant by "skimming" swallows? 

What makes the sunbeam in the woods 
"netted"? 

What is a "shallow"? 

How does the brook murmur? 

What is a "bramble"? 

What are "cresses"? Where do they grow? 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 135 

Thursday 
Write in a list all the verbs in the poem. 

Friday 
Write a list of all the adjectives in the poem. 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
Write a composition on brooks. 

Tuesday 
Talk about brooks, rivers, and the ocean. 

Wednesday 
Write a rhyme of four lines about a river. 

Thursday 

Each pupil find and repeat in class a quotation 
about a brook, a river, or the ocean. 

Friday 

Play, "My ship came from China, and it 
brought to me" 



FEBRUARY 

FIRST YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

Talk about the new month. What is this 
month? What was last month? What month 
follows February? What season is this? What 
are the three months of the winter season? 
What season follows winter? What are the 
three months of the spring season? What 
season follows spring? What season follows 
summer? 

Tuesday 
To be taught to the children: 

Red, white, and blue is our country's flag, 

Flag of the brave and free; 
Red, white and blue, where'er you go, 

Is the flag for you and me. — Selected 

Wednesday 

Talk about the flag. How many colors has 
our flag? What are they? How many red 

136 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 137 

stripes are there? How many white stripes? 
Where is the blue of the flag? What is there 
on the blue? Count the stars. How many stars 
are there? 

Thursday 

Tell the story of Betsy Ross, and the making 
of the first United States flag. 

Friday 

Have the children repeat to you the story of 
Betsy Ross and the flag. Have the flag salute 
given. In case the children are not familiar 
with it, here is the salute usually given: 

"We give our heads, our hearts, and our hands 
to our country. 
One country, one language, one flag." 

During the salute, the flag should be held, 
unfurled, by some one facing the class. The 
children point with the right hands to their 
heads and their hearts. At the words, "our 
hands/' both hands should be extended. At 
the words "one flag/' the right hand only is 
extended. 



138 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Tell stories of the boyhood of Abraham Lin- 
coln. 

Tuesday 

Talk about Lincoln's boyhood, allowing the 
children to tell you the stories which they heard 
the day before. 

Wednesday 

Talk about St. Valentine's Day. What do we 
give on that day? To whom do we give valen- 
tines? (To those we love.) 

Thursday 
Tell the story of good St. Valentine. 

Friday 

Have the children repeat to you the story of 
St. Valentine. 

THIRD WEEK 
Monday 

Tell the story of Washington and the hatchet. 

Remember that, old and stale as the story may 

be to you, it is new once to every child. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 139 

Tuesday 
Play, as a game, Washington and his hatchet. 

Wednesday 

Tell the story of Washington as a general; 
how he led the armies that fought to make our 
country free. Tell about his birthday, Febru- 
ary 22, and how we celebrate it, in memory 
of what he did for us. 

Thursday 

Write: George Washington, the father of his 
country. 

Friday 
Write: We live in the United States. 

FOURTH WEEK v 
Monday 

To be taught to the children: 

Rainy days and sunny days, 
What difference makes the weather, 

When little hearts are full of love, 
And all are glad together. — Selected 

Tuesday 

Tell the children the story of "The Three 
Bears." 



140 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 

Have the children tell you the story of "The 
Three Bears." 

Thursday and Friday 

Play the story of "The Three Bears," as a 
game. 

SECOND YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
To be committed to memory: 

THE SHORTEST MONTH 

Will the winter never be over, 
Will the dark days never go? 

Must the buttercup and the clover 
Be always under the snow? 

Ah, lend me your little ear, love, 
Hark! 'tis a beautiful thing; 

The dreariest month of the year, love, 
Is shortest and nearest to spring. 

— A. D. T. Whitney 

Have the poem copied. 

Tuesday 
Teach the poem to the children. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 141 

Wednesday 

Supply words to fill the blank spaces in the 
following: 

The Queen of , 

She made some . 



All on a summer's . 

The of hearts, 

He stole those , 

And quickly away. 

Thursday 
Story for reproduction: 

LINCOLN'S FIRST DOLLAR 

When Abraham Lincoln was a boy he went down the 
river in a boat to carry a load of truck to market. 
He stood by the river bank, after he had sold his bacon 
and vegetables. A steamboat was coming down the 
river. 

Two men who wished to go on board the steamer 
asked Abraham to row them out. He did so, and as 
they climbed on board they left in his hand two half 
dollars. 

It was the first money he had ever earned, and 
Abraham was a very proud, happy boy. 

Friday 

Children tell the story of Abraham Lincoln's 
first money. 



142 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
Teach the following poem to the children: 

NED'S CHOICE 

She has not rosy cheeks, 

Nor eyes that brightly shine, 
Nor golden curls, nor teeth like pearls, 

This Valentine of thine; 
But, oh! she's just the dearest, 

The truest and the best, 
And one more kind you will not find 

In many a long day's quest, 

Her cheeks are faded now, 

Her dear old eyes are dim; 
Her hair's like snow, her steps are slow, 

Her figure isn't trim; 
But, oh! and, oh! I love her, 

This grandmamma of mine; 
I wish that she for years may be 

My own dear Valentine. — Selected 

Tuesday 

Write three sentences about your grand- 
mother if you have one; if not, about your 
mother. 

Wednesday 
Valentine verses, for the children to copy: 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 143 

I wish I were the tiny cup, 
From which you take your tea; 

For every time you took a sip, 
You'd give a kiss to me. 

If you love me as I love you, 

No knife can cut our love in two. 

The rose is red, 

The violet's blue; 
Pinks are pretty, 

And so are you. 

Wednesday 

Write a letter, that might be sent to your 
mother as a valentine. 

Thursday 
For dictation: 

'Twas a tortoise, 

All yellow and black; 
He walked away, 

And never came back. — Selected 

Friday 
Play "The Queen of Hearts" as a game- 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 
Write a list of words that rhyme with queen. 



144 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Tuesday 

Tell the children the story of Washington 
and his colt. 

Wednesday 
Write five sentences about Washington. 

Thursday 

Tell the story of Washington crossing the 
Delaware. 

Friday 

Play, as a game, Washington and his colt, 
and also Washington crossing the Delaware. 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Write five sentences about playing in the 
snow. 

Tuesday 

Talk about what we eat. Who likes sweet 
things? Who likes pickles? Who likes meat? 
Who likes potatoes? Tell the children about 
foods that they need to eat to be well. 

Wednesday 
Write a list of things that we eat. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 145 

Thursday 

Talk about clothing. Why we wear woolen 
clothing in cold weather; where the wool comes 
from; talk about sheep. 

Friday 

Write five sentences about clothing, and where 
the wool comes from. 

THIRD YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 
Monday 

To be committed to memory: 
OUR FLAG 

There are many flags in many lands, 

There are flags of every hue, 
But there is no flag in any land, 

Like our own Red, White, and Blue, 

I know where the prettiest colors are, 

I'm sure if I only knew 
How to get them here, I could make a flag, 

Of glorious Red, White, and Blue. 

I could cut a piece from the evening sky, 
Where the stars were shining through, 

And use it just as it was on high, 
For my Stars and field of Blue. 



146 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Then I'd want a piece of fleecy cloud, 

And some from a rainbow bright, 
And Td put them together, side by side, 

For my Stripes of Red and White. 

Then " Hurrah for the Flag! " our country's flag, 

Its stripes, and white stars, too; 
There is no flag in any land, 

Like our own Red, White and Blue. — Selected 

Have the poem copied. 

Tuesday 
Learn the first two stanzas of the poem. 

Wednesday 
Learn the rest of the poem. 

Thursday 
Recite the entire poem. 

Friday 

Write a list of the nouns, and another of the 
verbs, in the poem. 

SECOND WEEK 
Monday 

Write a four-line verse suitable for a valentine. 

Tuesday 
Write the story of St. Valentine. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 147 

Wednesday 
Talk about Lincoln. 

Thursday 
Write what you know about Lincoln. 

Friday 
For dictation: 

Twilight and firelight, 

Shadows come and go; 
Merry chimes of sleighbells 

Tinkling through the snow; 
Mother knitting stockings 

(Pussy's got the ball) — 
Don't you think that winter's 

Pleasanter than all? — Selected 



THIRD WEEK 

Monday 
Write the story of Washington and the hatchet. 

Tuesday 

Write three sentences, telling why we should 
admire Washington. 

Wednesday 

Tell the story of Lafayette's part in aiding 
our fight for freedom. 



148 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thursday 
Write what you know of Lafayette. 

For dictation: 

God make my life a little song, 

That comforteth the sad; 
That helpeth others to be strong, 

And makes the singer glad. 

— Selected 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
Story for reproduction: 

THE ROBIN'S RED BREAST 

Long ago, in the far north, where it is very cold, 
there was only one fire. . 

An old man and his little son took care of this fire 
and kept it burning day and night. 

They knew that if the fire went out all the people 
would freeze and that the white bear would have the 
northland all to himself. 

But one day the old man became very sick so that 
his son had everything to do. 

For many days and nights he bravely took care of 
his father and kept the fire burning. 

But at last he got so tired and sleepy that he could 
no longer work. 

Now the white bear was always watching the fire. 

He longed for the time when he would have the 
northland all to himself. 






DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 149 

And when he saw how tired and sleepy the little 
boy was, he stayed close to the fire and laughed to 
himself. 

One night the poor little boy could endure no longer 
and fell fast asleep. 

Then the white bear ran as fast as he could and 
jumped upon the fire with his wet feet and rolled upon 
it. 

At last he thought it was all out and went happily 
away to his cave. 

But a gray robin was flying near and saw what the 
white bear was doing. 

She waited until the bear went away. 

Then she flew down and searched with her sharp little 
eyes until she found a tiny live spark. 

This she fanned patiently for a long time with her 
wings. 1 

\ Her little breast was scorched red, but she did not 
give up. 

After awhile a fine red blaze sprang up again. 

Then she flew away to every hut in the northland. 

And everywhere that she touched the ground a fire 
began to burn. 

So that soon instead of one little fire the whole north- 
land was lighted up. 

And now all that the white bear could do was to go 
farther back into his cave and growl. 

For now, indeed, he knew that the northland was 
not all for him. 

And this is the reason why the people in the north 
country love the robin. And they are never tired 
of telling their children how it got its red breast. 



150 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Tuesday 
Write the story of the Robin's Red Breast. 

Wednesday 
Play, as a game, the story of Robin. 

Thursday 
Write five sentences about birds. 

Friday 
For dictation: 

Two hands and only one mouth have you, 

And it is worth while repeating, 
That two are for the work you will have to do; 

The one is enough for eating. — Selected 



FOURTH YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

To be committed to memory: 

"The Wreck of the Hesperus/' by Henry W. 
Longfellow. 

Copy eleven stanzas of the poem. 

Tuesday 
Copy the rest of the poem. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 151 

Wednesday 
Learn the first four stanzas of the poem. 

Thursday 
Learn the second four stanzas of the poem. 

Friday 
Learn the third four stanzas of the poem. 



SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
Learn the fourth four stanzas of the poem. 

Tuesday 
Learn the fifth four stanzas of the poem. 

Wednesday 

Finish learning the poem, and recite it 
throughout. 

Thursday 
Recite the poem, and answer the following: 
What is a "schooner"? (See dictionary.) 
How does the sea in winter differ from a sum- 
mer sea? 
Who was the "skipper"? 
Write a description of the captain's daughter. 



152 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

What is a "helm"? 

What is meant by the "veering flaw?" 
What did the changing positions of the wind 
indicate with regard to the weather? 

Friday 

Where was the "Spanish Main"? 

What is a "port"? 

What is a "hurricane"? 

What does a golden ring around the moon 
indicate? 

Did you ever see one? 

What is a "whiff"? 

What is a "gale"? 

What is meant by the "brine"? 

What is meant by "smote amain"? 

How could a boat leap? 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 
What is a "blast"? How could it sting? 
What is a "spar"? 
What is a "mast"? 
What is a "fog-bell"? 
What is meant by a "rock-bound coast"? 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 153 

What guns could be heard? 
Why was the sea "angry "? 
Where is Norman's Woe? Why is it so called? 

Tuesday 
What is a "gust"? 

Why was the surf called "trampling"? 
What is the bow of a boat? 
What is a "wreck"? 
Why were the frozen seamen like icicles? 

Wednesday 
Why did the waves look "fleecy"? 
What is "carded wool"? 
Why were the rocks called "cruel"? 
What is a "shroud"? 
What is meant by "went by the board"? 
What became of the ship? 
What is a "reef"? 

Thursday 

Look up the life of the poet Longfellow and 
talk about him. 

Friday 
Write the story of Longfellow's life. 



154 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
Write the story of St. Valentine. 

Tuesday 
Write the story of Lincoln's boyhood. 

Wednesday 

Write about what Washington did for our 
country. 

Thursday 

Talk about patriotism; what it means, and 
how we can best show our patriotism. 

Friday 

Write the story of the making of the first 
American flag. 



MARCH 

FIRST YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

Talk about the new month? What month 
is this? What was last month? What month 
follows March? What season is this? What are 
the three months of the spring season? What 
season follows spring? What season is just 
past? How many days has March? What is 
March sometimes called? (The windy month,) 

Tuesday 
Write the date. Write the word March. 

Wednesday 

Talk about the wind. Can we see the wind? 
How do we know when the wind is blowing? 
What does the wind do to the trees? What does 
it do to the clothes hanging on the line? What 
does it do to our faces? (Makes our cheeks 
rosy.) 

155 



156 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thursday 
To be taught to the children: 

WHO HAS SEEN THE WIND? 

Who has seen the wind? 

Neither I nor you; 
But when the leaves hang trembling 

The wind is passing through. 

Who has seen the wind? 

Neither you nor I, 
But when the trees bow down their heads 

The wind is passing by. 

— Christina Rossetti 

Friday 
Teach the children the poem given above. 



SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Talk about wind-mills: How they are used; 
how they turn; Holland and the wind-mills 
of that country. 

Tuesday 
Write: 



Who has seen the wind? 
Neither you nor I. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 157 

Wednesday 
Story to be told to the children: 

THE WINDS 

This is one of the stories that the fathers and mothers 
in Greece used to tell their children. 

Mollis was the father of all the winds, great and small. 
He had six sons and six daughters. 

When the children were old enough, they went 
out into the world to work. Often they were gone all 
day long. 

They had to sweep and dust the whole world. They 
carried water from the sea to wash and scrub the earth. 

They helped to move the great ships across the 
ocean. They scattered the seeds, and watered the 
flowers, and did many other helpful things. 

And these things are what the winds do for us to- 
day. 

Can you tell the names of the four great 
winds? (East, West, North, South.) 

Thursday 

Have the children tell you about jEoIus and 
his winds. 

Friday 

Write: The four winds are East, West, North 
and South. 



158] DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 
THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Talk about kites and kite-flying: How does 
a kite fly? How high will a kite fly? How do 
boys make kites? 

Tell the children about the kites of Japan, and 
about kite-flying day in that country. 

Tuesday 

Have the children give as many words as 
they can that rhyme with kite. Write these 
on the blackboard, and use them for drill in 
phonics. 

Wednesday 

Talk about pussy willows. Who has seen 
pussy willows? Who has seen pussy willows 
this year? Where? How do we find the little 
pussies growing? What are they covered with? 
What for? (To protect the tiny buds from 
cold.) 

Thursday 
Write: Pussy willows have gray fur. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 159 

Friday 
To be committed to memory: 

Whatever way the wind doth blow, 

Some heart is glad to have it so; 

So blow it east, or blow it west, 

The wind that blows — that wind is best. 



FOURTH WEEK 
Monday 

Tell the children about St. Patrick, the good 

old Irish saint, whose birthday comes in March. 

Tuesday 
Have the children tell you about St. Patrick. 

Wednesday 
Write: Spring begins in March. 

Thursday 
Fill the blank spaces in the following: 

The East Wind comes from the — — . 

The West Wind comes from the . 

The North Wind comes from the . 

The South Wind comes from the . 



Friday 
Talk about the signs of Spring. 



160 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

SECOND YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
To be committed to memory: 

THE WIND 

I saw you toss the kites on high, 
And blow the birds about the sky, 
And all around I heard you pass, 
Like ladies' skirts across the grass^ — 
wind, a-blowing all day long, 

wind, that sings so loud a song! 

1 saw the different things you did, 
But always you yourself you hid. 
I felt you push, I heard you call, 
I could not see yourself at all — 
wind, a-blowing all day long, 

wind, that sings so loud a song! 

O you that are so strong and cold; 
blower, are you young or old? 
Are you a beast of field and tree, 
Or just a stronger child than me? 
wind, a-blowing all day long? 
wind, that sings so loud a song? 

— Robert Louis Stevenson 

Children copy the first stanza of the poem, and 
commit it to memory. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 161 

Tuesday 

Copy and learn the second stanza of the 
poem. 

Wednesday 
Copy and learn the third stanza of the poem- 

Thursday 
Recite the entire poem. 

Friday 

Write a list of the naming words (nouns) in 
the poem. 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
For dictation: 

Galloping, galloping, galloping in, 

Into the world with a stir, and a din. 

The north wind, the east wind, the west wind together, 

In-bringing, in-bringing, the March's wild weather. 

Tuesday 

Write five sentences, telling what the wind 
does. 

Wednesday 
Story for reproduction: 



162 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

SPRING 

It was spring. 

The sun had melted the snow from the hill-tops; the 
grass blades were pushing their way through the brown 
earth, and the buds on the trees were beginning to 
break open and let the tiny green leaves peep out. 

A bee, waked from the sleep in which he had lain 
all through the winter, rubbed his eyes, then opened the 
door, and looked out to see if the ice and snow and the 
north wind had gone away. Yes; there was warm, 
clear sunshine. 

f He slipped out of the hive, stretched his wings and 
flew away. 

He went to the apple tree and asked, "Have you 
anything for a hungry bee, who has eaten nothing 
the whole winter long?" 

The apple tree answered: 

"No; you have come too early. My blossoms are 
still buds and so I have nothing for you. Go to the 
cherry tree." 

He flew to the cherry tree and said, "Dear cherry 
tree, have you any honey for a hungry bee?" 

The cherry tree answered: 

"Come again to-morrow; to-day my blossoms are 
shut up, but when they are open you are welcome to 
them." 

Then he flew to a bed of tulips nearby. They had 
large, beautiful flowers, but there was neither sweetness 
nor perfume in them and he could not find any honey. 

Tired and hungry, the poor bee turned to seek his 
home, when a tiny dark blue flower, beside a hedge, 
caught his eye. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 163 

It was a violet that was all ready for the bee's com- 
ing. The violet opened its cup of sweetness. The 
bee drank his fill, and carried some honey to the hive. 

— Selected and Adapted 

Thursday 

Children retell, in their own words, the story 
of "Spring." 

Friday 
Write five sentences about spring. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 
For dictation: 

If a task is once begun, 
Never leave it till it's done; 
Be the labor great or small 
Do it well, or not at all. 

Tuesday 

Talk about signs of spring! Sky, bright sun, 
warmer days, return of birds, pussy willows, 
swelling buds. 

Wednesday 
Write five sentences about pussy willows. 



164 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thursday 

Write a letter to your sister or brother, telling 
about pussy willow. 

Friday 

Write a sentence containing the word blue; 
one with the word green; pink; yellow; red; 
white. 

FOURTH WEEK 
Monday 

Tell the children about St. Patrick. 

Tuesday 
Write three sentences about St. Patrick. 

Wednesday 

Write the names of all the members of the 
family, and your address. 

Thursday 
For dictation: 

Under the snowdrifts the blossoms are sleeping, 
Dreaming their dreams of sunshine and June. 

Friday 
Talk about the wind, and what it does. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 165 

THIRD YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
To be committed to memory: 

THE VOICE OF THE GRASS 

Here I come creeping, creeping, everywhere; 

By the dusty roadside, 

On the sunny hillside, 

Close by the noisy brook, 

In every shady nook, 
I come creeping, creeping everywhere. 

Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere. 

All around the open door, 

Where sit the aged poor; 

Here where the children play, 

In the bright and merry May, 
I come creeping, creeping everywhere. 

Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere; 

In the noisy city street 

My pleasant face you'll meet, 

Cheering the sick at heart. 

Toiling his busy part — 
Silently creeping, creeping everywhere. 

Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere, 

You cannot see me coming, 

Nor hear my low sweet humming, 

For in the starry night, 

And the glad morning light, 
I come quietly creeping, creeping everywhere."' 



166 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere, 

More welcome than the flowers 

In summer's pleasant hours; 

The gentle cow is glad, 

And the merry bird not sad, 
To see me creeping, creeping everywhere. 

Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere; 

My humble song of praise 

Most joyfully I raise 

To Him at whose command 

I beautify the land, 
Creeping, silently creeping everywhere. 

— Sarah Roberts Boyle 

Copy the first half of the poem. 

Tuesday 
Copy the rest of the poem. 

Wednesday 

Commit to memory the first two stanzas of 
the poem. 

Thursday 

Commit to memory the second two stanzas of 
the poem. 

Friday 

Recite the entire poem. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 167 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
Write a list of the nouns in the poem. 

Tuesday 
Write a list of the verbs in the poem. 

Wednesday 
Write a list of adjectives in the poem. 

Thursday 
For dictation: 

In her dress of silver gray, 
Comes the Pussy Willow gay; 
Like a little Eskimo, 
Clad in fur from top to toe. 
Friday 

Write five sentences about pussy willows. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Write, to a classmate, a telegram of not more 
than ten words, saying that spring is coming. 

Tuesday 
Write a letter to a pussy willow. 

Wednesday 
Talk about the wind and what it does. 



168 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thursday 
Write five sentences telling what the wind does. 

Friday 
Write the story of St. Patrick. 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
For dictation: 

Day after day, and year after year, 
Little by little, the leaves appear; 
And the slender branches far and wide, 
Tell the mighty oak is the forest's pride. 

Tuesday 

Write a list of at least ten objects beginning 
with m. Who can write the longest list? 

Wednesday 
Write a rhyme of four lines about the wind. 

Thursday 

Write a story about some pet that you have 
or that you know about. 

Friday 

Tell something that makes you happy. 
Tell something that makes you sorry. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 169 

Tell something that you think it is right to do. 
Tell something that you think it is wrong to 
do. 

FOURTH YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
To be committed to memory: 

THE FAIRIES 

Up the airy mountain, 

Down the rushy glen, 
We daren't go a-hunting, 

For fear of little men; 
Wee folk, good folk, 

Trooping all together; 
Green jacket, red cap, 

And white owl's feather. 

Down along the rocky shore, 

Some make their home; 
They live on crispy pancakes 

Of yellow tide-foam; 
Some in the reeds 

Of the black mountain lake, 
With frogs for their watch-dogs, 

All night awake. 

High on the hilltop, 
The old king sits; 
He is now so old and gray 



170 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

He's nigh lost his wits. 
By the craggy hillside, 

Through the mosses bare, 
They have planted thorn trees 

For pleasure here and there. 
Is any man so daring, 

As dig one up in spite? 
He shall find their sharpest thorns 

In his bed at night. 

Up the airy mountain, 

Down the rushy glen, 
We daren't go a-hunting, 

For fear of little men, 
Wee folk, good folk, 

Trooping all together; 
Green jacket, red cap; 

And white owl's feather. 

— William Allingham 
Copy the poem. 

Tuesday 
Learn the first half of the poem. 

Wednesday 
Learn the rest of the poem. 

Thursday 
Answer the following questions: 
What is meant by the "airy" mountain? 
What is meant by the "rushy glen"? What 

is a glen? 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 171 

Why are the fairies called "wee" folk? 
What is meant by their "trooping"? 
What are "crispy" pan-cakes? 
What are "reeds"? 
Why is a mountain lake called "black"? 

Friday 

What "old king sits"? 

What are "wits"? 

What is a "craggy hillside"? 

Why are the, mosses called "bare"? 

Write a description of a fairy as given in the 
poem. 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Talk about the following: What story, that 
you have read, do you like best? Why? What 
game do you like best? Why? What song 
do you like best? Why? What study do you 
like best? Why? 

Tuesday 
For dictation: 

Lives of great men all remind us, 
We can make our lives sublime; 

And, departing, leave behind us, 
Footprints on the sands of time. 



172 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 
Write about what the wind does. 

Thursday 

Write about the signs of spring that you have 
noticed. 

Friday 

Talk about what you saw on your way to 

school. 

Third Week 
Monday 

Write a list of all the words you can think 

of that begin with h. Who can write the longest 

list? 

Tuesday 

For dictation: 

In spring when stirs the wind, I know 
That soon the crocus buds will blow; 
For 'tis the wind who bids them wake 
And into pretty blossoms break. 

Wednesday 
Write a description of the teacher's desk. 

Thursday 

Write an informal invitation to a St. Patrick's 
Day entertainment at the school. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 173 



Friday 
Have a spelling match. 



FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
Write seven verbs. 
Write each in a different sentence. 

Tuesday 
For dictation: 

To look up and not down, 
To look forward and not back, 
To look out and not in, and 
To lend a hand. 

Wednesday 

Write a letter, if you are in the country, to 
some one in the city, telling what games you 
play at recess. If you live in the city, write to 
some one in the country. 

Thursday 
Write a description of some game you play. 

Friday 
Talk about the return of the birds. 



APRIL 

FIRST YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

Talk about the next month? What is the 
name of this month? What was last month? 
What will next month be? What season is 
this? What will the next season be? How 
many days in April? What other months have 
only thirty days? 

Tuesday 
Story to be told to the children: 

THE MORNING-GLORY SEED 

A little girl dropped a morning-glory seed into a 
small hole in the ground. As she did so she said, 
"Now, morning-glory seed, hurry and grow, grow, 
grow, until you are a tall vine, covered with pretty 
green leaves and lovely trumpet flowers." 

But the earth was very dry. There had been no rain 
for a long time, and the poor seed could not grow at all. 

After it had lain in the ground for nine long days and 
nine long nights, the little seed said to the ground, "Oh, 
ground, please give me a few drops of water to soften 

174 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 175 

my hard brown coat. Then my coat can burst open 
and set free my two green seed-leaves, and then I can 
begin to be a vine. 

But the ground said, "You must ask that of the rain/' 

So the seed called to the rain. "Oh, rain," it said, . 
"please come down and wet the ground around me, 
so that it may give me a few drops of water, to soften 
my hard brown coat. Then my coat can burst open 
and set free my two green seed-leaves, and then I can 
begin to be a vine." 

"I cannot," said the rain, "unless the clouds hang 
low." 

So the seed said to the clouds, "Oh, clouds, please 
hang low, and let the rain come down and wet the 
ground around me, so that it may give me a few drops 
of water to soften my hard brown coat. Then my coat 
can burst open and set free my two green seed-leaves, 
and then I can begin to be a vine." 

But the clouds said, "The sun must hide first." 

So the seed called to the sun. "Oh, sun, please 
hide for a little while. Then the clouds can hang low, 
and let the rain come down and wet the ground around 
me, so that it may give me a few drops of water, to 
soften my hard brown coat. Then my coat can burst 
open and set free my two green seed-leaves, and then 
I can begin to be a vine." 

"I will," said the sun, and he hid at once. 

Then the clouds hung low and lower. The rain 
began to fall fast and faster. The ground began to 
grow wet and wetter. The seed-coat began to grow 
soft and softer, until it burst open. Out came two 
bright green seed-leaves, and the morning-glory seed 
began to be a vine. — Adapted 



176 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 

Talk about the story of the morning-glory 
seed. 

Thursday 

Talk about the part the rain and the sunshine 
have in making plants grow. 

Friday 

Play as a game the story of the morning-glory 
seed. 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
To be committed to memory: 

SEVEN TIMES ONE 

There's no dew left on the daisies and clover, 

There's no rain left in heaven; 
I've said my "seven times ,, over and over, 

Seven times one are seven. 

I am old, so old I can write a letter; 

My birthday lessons are done; 
The lambs play always, they know no better, 

They are only one times one. 

moon! in the night I have seen you sailing, 

And shining so round and low; 
You were bright, ah, bright! but your light is failing — 

You are nothing now but a bow. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 177 

You moon, have you done something wrong in heaven 

That God has hidden your face? 
I hope if you have, you will soon be forgiven, 

And shine again in your place. 

velvet bee, you're a dusty fellow; 
YouVe powdered your legs with gold! 

brave marshmary buds, rich and yellow, 
Give me your money to hold. 

And show me your nest with the young ones in it — 
I will not steal it away; 

1 am old! you may trust me, linnet, linnet — 

I am seven years old to-day! — Jean Ingelow 

Spend the rest of the week teaching the poem 
to the children. They always enjoy this poem, 
one generation of little folks after another. 
Did you not? 



THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Talk about the rain: Why we need so much 
of it this month, when the plants are just 
starting to grow. 

Tuesday 

Have the children write: April is the rainy 
month. 



178 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 
For dictation: 

Oh, where do you come from, 
You little drops of rain? 

Thursday 

Read or recite the following poem to the chil- 
dren. Talk about where the rain comes from, 
and what becomes of the water. The children 
are old enough to understand and appreciate it 
all, if the explanation be made sufficiently simple. 

THE RAIN DROPS' RIDE 

Some little drops of water, 

Whose home was in the sea, 
To go upon a journey 

Once happened to agree. 

A white cloud was their carriage; 

Their horse, a playful breeze; 
And over town and country 

They rode along at ease. 

But, ! there were so many, 

At last the carriage broke, 
And to the ground came tumbling 

Those frightened little folk. 

Among the grass and flowers 
They then were forced to roam, 

Until a brooklet found them, 
And carried them all home. — Selected 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 179 

Friday 

Let the children play the rain as a game. 
They can come from one part of the room which 
may represent the sea. They can ride on a 
play cloud. Coming gently to a garden, on 
the floor, they *may play scatter the drops 
quietly, like an April rain, from their finger tips. 
Then they may join the brook, and go with it 
to where it enters the river, then follow the river 
to the ocean once more. 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Tell the children the story of Paul Revere's 
Ride. 

Tuesday 

Have the children tell back to you the story of 
Paul Revere's Ride. 

Wednesday 

Read to the children Longfellow's poem, 
"Paul Revere's Ride." 

Thursday 

Write three sentences about Paul Revere's 
Ride. 



180 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Friday 

Have the children play Paul Revere's Ride as 
a game. 

SECOND YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

A rainy morning. (If the morning is pleasant, 
use this exercise the first rainy day.) Why did 
you come to school this morning with rubbers 
and umbrella? Why does the rain run off 
an umbrella? Why is the roof of a house built 
on a slant? Why does rain sometimes fall 
straight down, and sometimes fall slanting? 
How does the rain tell us which way the wind 
blows? Why do rubbers keep our feet dry? 
Why do not our shoes keep our feet dry? What 
can you think of, besides overshoes, that is 
made of rubber? 

Tuesday 
Write five sentences about rain. 

Wednesday 
Poem to be committed to memory: 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 181 

THE BLUEBIRD 

I know the song the bluebird is singing, 
Out in the apple tree where he is swinging, 
Brave little fellow! the skies may be dreary — 
Nothing cares he while his heart is so cheery. 
Hark! how the music leaps from his throat! 
Hark! was there ever so merry a note? 

Listen a while, and you'll hear what he's saying, 
Up in the apple tree swinging and swaying. 
Dear little blossoms, down under the snow, 
You must be weary of winter, I know; 
Hark while I sing you a message of cheer: 
Summer is coming, and springtime is here. 

"Little white snowdrop, I pray you arise! 
Bright yellow crocus, come open your eyes! 
Sweet little violets, hid from the cold, 
Put on your mantles of purple and gold! 
Daffodils, daffodils! say, do you hear? 
Summer is coming, and springtime is here. 

— Selected 

Have the poem copied. 

Thursday 

Learn the first and second stanzas of the 
poem. 

Friday 
Learn the rest of the poem. 



182 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

Write a list of the name words (nouns) in the 
poem, "The Bluebird/' 

Tuesday 

Write a list of the doing words (verbs) in the 
poem. 

Wednesday 

Show the children a book. Show that damage 
done to a book will remain. If you scratch your 
finger, the wound heals. If you scratch a book, 
what happens? Do not break the back of the 
book. Never mark a book with pencil and ink. 
Especially never write anything in a book not 
your own. Do not turn down the corners of 
the leaves. Always return a borrowed book. 
Show the children how to open a new book 
properly. 

Thursday 
For dictation: 

Little bird upon the bough, 
Sing a song of sweetness now; 
Sing of roses in their bloom, 
In the lovely month of June, 
Little bird upon the bough. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 183 

Friday 

Read the following poem to the children. 
Talk about the woodpecker, and how he gets 
his food. 

HOW THE WOODPECKER KNOWS 

How does he know where to dig his hole, 

The woodpecker there, on the elm-tree bole? 

How does he know what kind of a limb 

To use for a drum or burrow in? 

How does he find where the young grubs grow? 

Td like to know! 

The woodpecker flew to a maple limb, 
And drummed a tattoo that was fun for him; 

"No breakfast here! it's too hard for that!" 
He said, as down on his tail he sat; 

"Just listen to this, Rrrr-rat-tat-tat." — Selected 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Play "Animals": Give to each child a card 
having on it the name of some animal, as cat, 
horse, pig, etc. Have the children in turn de- 
scribe the animals they represent as: 

I am covered with hair. I gnaw bones. 
I watch at night to see that no one gets into the 
house. I say, "Bow, wow, wow," when I am 
happy. What am I? 



184 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Tuesday 
For dictation: 

He who plants a tree, 
Plants a hope. 

Wednesday 

Talk about Arbor Day and Bird Day, and 
why we celebrate these special days. Why do 
they come in April rather than in January, or 
some other month? 

Thursday 

Write a list of all the trees you know about. 
Who can write the longest list? 

Friday 

Write a list of all the birds you know about. 
Who can write the longest list? 

FOURTH WEEK 
Monday 

Tell the children the story of Paul Revere's 

Ride. 

Tuesday 

Have the children tell the story of Paul 
Revere's Ride. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 185 

Wednesday 

Write five sentences about Paul Revere's 
Ride. 

Thursday 

Talk about the new parcel post. How are 
parcels sent? How heavy can parcels be sent? 
What can be sent by parcel post? How are 
letters sent? What does it cost to send a letter? 
A post card? How is the mail carried from place 
to place? How is the mail delivered in your 
town? 

Friday 

Write five sentences about the mails, and 
sending letters and parcels. 

THIRD YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

Write a list of objects you can see from a 
school-room window. 

Tuesday 

Write as many "signs of Spring/' as you can 
think of. 



186 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 
For dictation: 

All that's great and good is done 
Just by patient trying. 

Thursday 
Read the following poem to the children: 

WILD FLOWERS 

Out amid the green fields, 

Free as air we grow, 
Springing where it happens, 

Never in a row; 
Watered by the cloudlets 

Passing overhead, 
Warmed by lovely sunbeams, 

Falling on our heads. 
Wild flowers, wild flowers, by the meadow rills, 
Wild flowers, wild flowers, on the woody hills, 
Wild flowers, wild flowers, springing everywhere, 

Joyful in the glad free air. — Selected 

Talk about the coming of the wild flowers. 
What part have the rain and the sunshine in 
helping the flowers to grow? What wild flowers 
are in blossom now? What other flowers will 
blossom before the close of April? 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 187 

Friday 
Write eight sentences about wild flowers. 



SECOND WEEK 
Monday 

Poem to be committed to memory: "The Owl 

and the Pussy Cat," by Edward Lear. 

Have the first half of the poem copied. 

Tuesday 
Have the rest of the poem copied. 

Wednesday 
Learn the first three stanzas of the poem. 

Thursday 
Learn the rest of the poem. 

Friday 

Allow the children to dramatize in their own 
way, "The Owl and the Pussy-cat." 



THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Write a list of the adjectives in "The Owl 
and the Pussycat." 



188 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Tuesday 

Answer in complete sentences, the following 
questions: 

What is the color of your reader? What is the 
color of your pencil? What is the color of your 
hair? 

Wednesday 
Write a rhyme of four lines about a cat. 

Thursday 
Have the children read "Paul Revere's Ride." 

Friday 

Have the children tell you the story of "Paul 
Revere's Ride." 

FOURTH WEEK 
Monday 

Poem to be committed to memory: 

WHAT DO WE PLANT? 

What do we plant when we plant the tree? 
We plant the ship, which will cross the sea, 
We plant the mast to carry the sails; 
We plant the plank to withstand the gales, 
The keel, the keelson, and beam, and knee; 
We plant the ship when we plant the tree. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 189 

What do we plant when we plant the tree? 
We plant the houses for you and me; 
We plant the rafters, the shingles, the floors; 
We plant the studding, the lath, the doors, 
The beams and siding, all parts that be; 
We plant the house when we plant the tree. 

What do we plant, when we plant the tree? 
A thousand things that we daily see; 
We plant the spire, that out-towers the crag; 
We plant the staff for our country's flag; 
We plant the shade, from the hot sun free — 
We plant all these, when we plant the tree. 

— Henry Abbey 
Copy the poem. 

Tuesday 
Learn the first two stanzas of the poem. 

Wednesday 
Recite the entire poem. 

Thursday 

Write a list of the things we plant when we 
plant a tree. 

Friday 

Talk about the purpose of Arbor Day, and 
especially about the meaning of the beautiful 
Arbor Day poem. 



190 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

FOURTH YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

Story for reproduction: 

THE CAT AND THE CHESTNUTS 

A cat sat before an open fire where some chestnuts 
were roasting. 

A monkey who was hungrily watching the chestnuts 
said to the cat, "Do you think you could pull a chest- 
nut out of the fire? Your paws seem to be made just 
for that." 

The cat was flattered and she quickly pulled out a 
chestnut that had burst open. 

"How do you do it?" asked the monkey. It is 
wonderful. Can you reach that big one?" 

"Yes, but see, I have burned my paw a little." 

"Oh, but what of that, when you are making your- 
self so useful?" 

One after another the cat pulled the chestnuts from 
the fire. Then she found that the sly monkey had 
eaten them all. All she had was a pair of sore claws. 

— JEsop 
Tuesday 

Write the story of the cat and the chestnuts. 

Wednesday 
Write ten sentences about the signs of spring. 

Thursday 

Write a list of the wild flowers that grow in 
your vicinity, so far as you know them. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 191 

Friday 

Have each pupil draw on paper some kind 
of flower. Exchange papers, and each pupil 
write five sentences about the flower he thinks 
is intended by the drawing on the paper he 
receives. 

SECOND WEEK 
Monday 

Poem to be committed to memory: 
PLANT A TREE 

He who plants a tree 
Plants a hope. 
Rootlets up through fibres blindly grope; 
Leaves unfold into horizons free. 

So man's life must climb 

From the clods of time 

Unto heavens sublime. 
Can'st thou prophesy, thou little tree, 
What the glory of thy boughs shall be? 

He who plants a tree 
Plants a joy. 
Plants a comfort that will never cloy. 
Everyday a fresh reality, 

Beautiful and strong, 

To whose shelter throng 

Creatures blithe with song. 
If thou could'st but know, thou happy tree, 
Of the bliss that shall inhabit thee! 



192 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

He who plants a tree 
He plants peace. 
Under its green curtains jargons cease; 
Leaf and zephyr murmur soothingly; 

Shadows soft with sleep 

Down tired eyelids creep, 

Balm of slumber deep. 
Never hast thou dreamed, thou blessed tree, 
Of the benediction thou shalt be. 

He who plants a tree 
He plants youth; 
Vigor won for centuries, in sooth; 
Life of time, that hints eternity! 

Boughs their strength uprear, 

New shoots every year 

On old growths appear. 
Thou shalt teach the ages, sturdy tree, 
Youth of soul is immortality. 

He who plants a tree 
He plants love; 
Tents of coolness spreading out above 
Wayfarers he may not live to see. 

Gifts that grow are best; 

Hands that bless are blest; 

Plant: life does the rest! 
Heaven and earth help him who plants a tree, 
And his work its own reward shall be. — Lucy Larcom 

Copy the poem. 

Tuesday 
Learn the first two stanzas of the poem. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 193 

Wednesday 
Learn the second two stanzas of the poem. 

Thursday 
Learn the rest of the poem. 

Friday 

Talk about the meaning of the hope, joy, 
peace, youth, and love, as mentioned in the 
poem. 

THIRD WEEK 
Monday 

Write a list of twenty articles made of wood. 

Tuesday 

Each pupil think of a tree. Each in turn tell 
about his tree, the other pupils to guess what 
it is. For instance: 

I am tall and straight. I have many long 
needles, instead of leaves. When the wind 
blows through my branches it makes sweet 
music. What am I? (A pine tree.) 

Or — I am a large tree, with great branches. 
My fruit is called an acorn. What am I? 
(An oak tree.) 



194 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Wednesday 

Talk about Arbor Day — why it is cele- 
brated, and why it is necessary that our trees 
be preserved. 

Thursday 
For dictation: 

A song to the oak! the brave old oak! 

Who hath ruled in the greenwood long; 
Here's health and renown to his broad green crown 

And his fifty arms so strong. 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 
Story for reproduction: 

TRIFLES 

A friend of the great artist, Michael Angelo, was 
once watching the last touches being made to a statue. 
Some time later he visited the studio again, and the 
artist was still at work upon the same statue. He ex- 
claimed: "You have done nothing since the last time 
I was here. The statue was finished then." 

"Not at all," was Michael Angelo's reply. "I have 
softened this feature and brought out that muscle. I 
have given more expression to the lips and more energy 
to the eye." 

"Oh," said the friend, "but these are trifles." 

"It may be so," said the artist, "but trifles make 
perfection and perfection is no trifle." 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 195 

Tuesday 
Write ten sentences, each containing is or are. 

Wednesday 

Write sentences, each of which contains one 
of the following adjectives; little, yellow, moist, 
good, large, beautiful, swift, slow, useful, break- 
able. 

Thursday 
For dictation: 

Tinkling down! shining down! 

Golden sunbeams kiss the flowers. 
Wake them up! wake them up! 

Through the happy hours. 

Friday 

Play "What I am thinking of," using objects 
in the school-room. 



MAY 
FIRST YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

What is the name of this month? What is the 
name of the month just ended? What is the 
name of the month following May? What 
season is this? What season follows spring? 
How many days has May? What other months 
have thirty-one days? 

Tuesday 

Teach the proper method of salutation on the 
street. Have the boys put on their caps, and 
the girls their hats. Have a boy and a girl go 
to the front of the room, and from opposite 
sides of the room walk toward each other. As 
they meet, the girl nods her head politely, and 
the boy lifts his hat. After the simple cere- 
mony the two children return to their seats, and 
their places are taken by other boys and girls, in 

196 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 197 

turn, until all can make the proper salutation 
easily and gracefully. 

Wednesday 
Write a sentence about birds. 
Write a sentence about the grass. 
Write a sentence about May. 

Thursday 

Story for reproduction. (Let the children 
test the results of mixing colors, with their 
paint boxes, if they have paints.) 

THE RAINBOW FAIRIES 

One night three little fairies were playing under a 
tree. They were flower fairies. Each had on a dress 
of the same color as the flower for which it was named. 
Little Fairy Buttercup wore a bright yellow dress. 
Forget-me-not wore a blue dress. Geranium wore a 
red dress. 

Not far from the three fairies in red, yellow and blue, 
were three other fairies. These fairies had on old, 
faded dresses. They stood and watched the gaily- 
dressed fairies dance in the moonlight. 

"Come," said Buttercup, "won't you come and 
dance with us?" 

"We cannot," said the three. "We cannot dance, 
for we have on our old clothes. We have worked hard 
all day and are just going home, but we like to see you 
dance in your pretty clothes." 



198 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Then Buttercup took the skirt of her yellow dress 
and dipped it into a lily cup filled with dew. The dew 
was quickly dyed yellow. 

Forget-me-not dipped the skirt of her blue dress 
into another lily cup filled with dew. The dew was 
quickly dyed blue. Then the fairies mixed the yellow 
dew and the blue dew together. 

"Now jump in, little fairy/' cried Buttercup. In 
jumped one of the fairies in faded gown, and when she 
came out her dress was a beautiful green. 

Then Geranium dipped her dress into dew, and 
Forget-me-not did the same. They mixed blue and 
red, and the second fairy jumped in. When she came 
out, her dress was bright purple. 

Then Buttercup and Geranium dipped their 
dresses into dew again, to make a mixture for the third 
fairy. When she came out of the lily cup her dress 
was bright orange. 

Then the six fairies laughed and sang, and danced 
about. By and by a dark cloud covered the moon, 
and the rain came pattering down. The six fairies 
hid themselves in the flowers. 

The next morning, when the rain stopped, the sun 
came out and shone brightly. The six fairies came out 
of the flowers, and hand in hand they ran up to the sky. 
There they made a beautiful rainbow. Since then, they 
have been called the Rainbow Fairies. — Adapted 

Friday 

Talk about the rainbow, and its six colors. 
Have the children tell the combinations that 
make green, purple, and orange. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 199 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 

To be committed to memory: 

THE DANDELION 

A brave little dandelion woke up from his nap, 
And hunted around in the dark for his cap, 
'Tin certain/' he muttered, "it ought to be here, 
In the very same place where I left it last year." 

He poked all about in the dirt and the dark, 
For the same little hat that he wore in the ark; 
For fashions may vary with people and clime, 
But dandelions wear the same hats all the time. 

"What's o'clock?" and he paused while he counted 
the fuzz 
That had crept through his locks, as old age always 

does; 
Then he settled himself to pluck out the old feathers, 
That had done so much service in all kinds of weath- 
ers. 

Rather frowsy he looked, getting into his hat, 

But he^knew that the rain would take care of all that, 

If he only were up; so he pulled on his boots, 

And began to push up from his tough little roots. 

Kept pushing, and cheerful and hopeful, he pushed, 
And he came to the surface, close by an old bush, 
With the frost hardly gone, and the ground hardly 

mellow, 
Here he is on the top now, the brave little fellow. 



200 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

The first dandelion! Well may we delight 
And call all the children to see the glad sight, 
For of all the brave prospects of hope and of spring, 
The golden-crowned dandelion surely is king. 

— Selected and slightly adapted 

Teach the children the first stanza of the poem. 

Tuesday 

Teach the children the second stanza of the 
poem. 

Wednesday 

Teach the children the third stanza of the 
poem, explaining what is meant by the "fuzz." 

Thursday 
Teach the fourth stanza of the poem. 

Friday 
Teach the fifth stanza of the poem. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 
Teach the sixth stanza of the poem. 

Tuesday 

Have the children play the poem, each child 
acting the part of the dandelion, as all recite 
the poem in concert. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 201 

Wednesday 
Write: 

A dandelion is yellow. 
Dandelions bloom in May. 

Thursday 

Children name a flower (besides dandelions) 
that is yellow; one that is blue; green; pink; 
white; purple. Which of these are in blossom 
in May? 

Friday 

Talk about different kinds of dogs, and what 
each is good for; e. g., terrier, catching rats; 
collie, driving sheep; St. Bernard, saving life; 
hound, hunting, etc. 

FOURTH WEEK 
Monday 

What flowers bloom in May? What are their 

colors? What are the birds doing this month? 

Have you seen any birds' nests this spring? 

Where? What kinds of birds do you know? 

What have the trees been doing this month? 

(Growing leaves.) 



202 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Tuesday 

Ask each child to bring a penny to school. 

See how many things can be found on the 
penny. 

What is the motto of our country? (In God 
we trust.) 

Wednesday 
Have the children write: 

Under the green trees, 

Just over the way, 
Jack-in-the-pulpit 

Preaches to-day. 

Thursday 

Have the pupils told, the preceding day, to 
bring into the school-room three different green 
objects, as a leaf from a tree, a blade of grass, 
a branch of some plant, etc. Have pupils 
write the words describing what they have 
brought, as leaf, grass, twig, etc. 

Friday 

Talk about Decoration Day. What it means, 
and how to celebrate it. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 203 

SECOND YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
Learn the first two stanzas of the poem: 
THE SEED 

As wonderful things are hidden away 
In the heart of a little brown seed 

As ever were found in the fairy nut 
Of which we sometimes read. 

Over the dainty shining coat, 
We sprinkle the earth so brown, 

And then the sunshine warms its bed, 
And the rain comes pattering down. 

Patter, patter, the soft warm rain 

Knocks at the tiny door, 
And two little heads come peeping out, 
Like a story in fairy lore. 

— Selected and slightly adapted 
Tuesday 

Learn the entire poem. 

Wednesday 
Talk about the meaning of the poem, and 
j sow some morning glory seed in a box or flower 
pot. Talk about the need of moist earth to 
make the seeds grow. Have the children water 
the seeds every day, until the "two little heads 
come peeping out." 



204 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thursday 

Write a list of the naming words (nouns) in 
the poem of the week. 

Friday 

Children write five sentences about seeds and 
the way they grow. 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
For dictation: 

Sing, sing, thou merry bird, 

As you fly so lightly; 
Sing your song of joy and love, 

While the sun shines brightly. 

Tuesday 

Write, in complete sentences, answers to the 
following questions: 

What bird has a red breast? (Robin.) 

What bird picks worms from under the bark 
of large trees? (Woodpecker.) 

What bird lays large white eggs that we like 
to eat for breakfast? (Hen.) 

What bird likes to eat the farmer's corn? 
(Crow.) 

What bird says, "Coo, coo, coo?" (Pigeon.) 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 205 

Wednesday 

Talk about the birds and nest-building. 
Talk about the different kinds of nests: the 
robin's; the oriole's, hung from the limb of a 
tall tree; the bobolink's, built in the grass; the 
sparrow's, tucked under the eaves; the swal- 
low's, built in the barn, etc. 

Thursday 

Read the following poem to the children, 
and have them tell the story back to you: 

THE JOLLY OLD CROW 
On the limb of an oak sat a jolly old crow, 

And chattered away with glee, with glee, 
As he saw the old farmer go out to sow, 

And he cried, "It's all for me, for me!" 

"Look, look, how he scatters his seeds around; 
He's tremendously kind to the poor, the poor; 
If he'd empty it down in a pile on the ground. 
I could find it much better, I'm sure, I'm sure! 

"I've learned all the tricks of this wonderful man, 
Who shows such regard for the crow, the crow, 
That he lays out his grounds on a regular plan, 
And covers his corn in a row, a row! 

He must have a very great fancy for me; 

He tries to entrap me enough, enough, 
But I measure his distance as well as he, 

And when he comes near I am off! — Selected 



206 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Friday 

Have the children write a little story about 
the crow and the corn. 

THIRD WEEK 
Monday 

Write five words beginning with m. 

Write five words beginning with s. 

Write five words beginning with b. 

Tuesday 

Add a word to violet, to show what color it is. 

Add a word to tulip, to show what color it is. 

Add a word to apple blossom, to show what 
color it is. 

Add a word to hyacinth, to show what color it is. 

Add a word to grass, to show what color it is- 

Wednesday 

For dictation: 

Into my window a sunbeam bright 
Comes with a glad good morning, 
"The night is gone, it is time you were up," 
It is thus he gives me warning. 

Thursday 

Write five sentences, telling what the warm 
sunshine does. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 207 

Friday 

Play, as a game, "I went to the woods and 
brought back a violet/' One child says, "I 
went to the woods, and brought back a violet 
and an anemone' ' (or any other flower). The 
next child says, " I went to the woods and brough 
back a violet, an anemone, and a hepatica." 
Each child adds a flower to the list,, as long as 
the children can remember the list of flowers. 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Talk about birds' eggs, and the wrong of 
robbing nests. 

Tuesday 
Read the following poem to the children: 

THE FRIGHTENED BIRDS 

"Hush! hush!" said the little brown thrush, 
To her mate on the nest in the alder bush. 

"Keep still! don't open your bill, 
There's a boy coming bird-nesting over the hill. 

Let go your wings out, so 

That not an egg on the nest shall show. 

Chee! chee! it seems to me 

I'm as frightened as ever a bird can be."/ 



208 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Then still, with a quivering bill, 

They watched the boy out of sight o'er the hill. 

And then, in the branches again 

Their glad song rang out over valley and glen. 

Oh! oh! if only that boy could know 
How glad they were when they saw him go, 
Say, do you think that next day, 
He could possibly steal those eggs away? 

— Selected 

Talk about the advantage that the birds are, 
in eating insects and protecting the trees. 

Wednesday 

Write five sentences, telling what birds do for 
us, and why it is wrong to steal birds' eggs. 

Thursday 
Fill the blank spaces in the following: 

blackbirds on a hill, 

One named , the other Jill. 

Fly away , 

away, Jill, 



Come , Jack, 

back, . 

Friday 

Write a letter to your cousin, telling about 
birds, and why you will never steal their eggs. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 209 

THIRD YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
Poem to be committed to memory: 

WE THANK THEE 

For flowers that bloom about our feet; 
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet; 
For song of bird and hum of bee; 
For all things fair we hear or see, 
Father in heaven, we thank Thee! 

For blue of stream and blue of sky; 
For pleasant shade of branches high; 
For fragrant air and cooling breeze; 
For beauty of the blooming trees — 
Father in heaven, we Thank Thee! 

For mother-love and father-care, 
For brothers strong and sisters fair; 
For love at home and here each day; 
For guidance, lest we go astray — 
Father in heaven, we Thank Thee! — Selected 

Have the poem copied. 

Tuesday 
Learn the first stanza of the poem. 

Wednesday 
Learn the second, stanza of the poem. 



210 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Thursday 
Learn and recite the entire poem. 

Friday 
Write a list of the nouns in the poem. 

SECOND WEEK 
Monday 

Write a list of the adjectives in the poem. 

Tuesday 

Write the name of a flower that is blue; one 
that is yellow; pink; red; purple; white. 
Write a sentence describing each of the flowers 
in your list. 

Wednesday 

Write the name of a bird that is brown; 
one that is black; blue; green; yellow. Class 
exchange papers. Write a sentence about each 
bird on the list you receive. 

Thursday 

Talk about May, and how it differs from any 
other month of the year. What garden flowers 
are in blossom this month? What wild flowers 
are in blossom? What fruit trees? What forest 
trees? 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 211 

Friday 

Write five sentences about the flowers and 
trees that blossom in May. 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 
Story for reproduction: 

ANEMONE 

Once upon a time there lived a youth whose name 
was Adonis. He was a fine-looking boy, tall and 
straight, and he was very fond of hunting. 

Every day, with only his dogs for company, he 
would go into the woods, carrying his bow and arrows. 
He had a fast horse on which he rode. 

His friends often urged him not to go too far into 
the deep woods, but Adonis was not at all afraid. He 
had killed bears, and he had killed lions, so why should 
he be afraid? 

One day Adonis was in the woods as usual, when he 
caught sight of two wild hogs. He left his dogs to 
worry one of the hogs, and he started after the other 
with his spear. 

The angry hog bit him and he had to hasten to the 
brook to bathe his wounds. The angry hog followed 
him. 

Swimming in the brook were some beautiful white 
swans. When they saw Adonis wounded, they went 
to Venus and told her what they had seen. 

Venus hastened to the brook in her silver chariot. 

"Adonis! Adonis !" she cried. 



212 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

No answer came. The only trace she could find 
of Adonis was some drops of blood on the green grass. 

Venus was very sorry, for she loved the boy Adonis 
very much. From a silver cup which she carried with 
her, she sprinkled a few drops of blood over the grass. 
In a little while, tiny flower buds peeped out from the 
spot where each drop of blood had fallen. 

A gentle wind came up and blew the little buds open 
and before night it had blown them all away. People 
called the little flowers wind-flowers, or anemones. 
Their delicate pink coloring was believed to have come 
from the heart of Adonis. Have you seen the dainty 
little anemones, the wind-flowers? — Adapted 

Tell the story to the children. 

Tuesday 

Have the children tell back to you the story 
of the anemones. 

Wednesday 
Write the story of the anemones. 

Thursday 

Write five sentences about the woods where 
the anemones grow. 

Friday 

Have the children play in their own way the 
story of Adonis. 



JUNE 

FIRST YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 
Monday 

What month is this? What month is just 
ended? What month comes after June? What 
season is this? What are the three summer 
months? Name the four seasons. What season 
is just ended? What season comes after sum- 
mer? In what month does school close for the 
summer? In what month does school open 
again? 

Tuesday 

Write: 

This is the (supply first, second, or what- 
ever day it is) of June. 

Wednesday 
Story-poem for reproduction: 

213 



214 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

THE MAIDEN AND THE BEE 

"Said a little wondering maiden, 

To a bee with honey laden, 
"Bee, in all the flowers you work, 

Yet in some doth poison lurk." 

"That I know, my little maiden/' 
Said the bee with honey laden; 

"But the poison I forsake, 
And the honey only take." 

"Cunning bee with honey laden, 
That is right," replied the maiden. 

"So will I from all I meet, 
Only take the good and sweet." — Selected 

Read the poem to the children, and explain 
its meaning. 

Thursday 

Talk about bees and honey. Where the bees 
find the honey. How they carry to the hive. 
The honeycomb. Have you eaten honey? Have 
you eaten honey in the comb? What is the 
comb made of? 

Friday 
Write: 

Bees take honey from flowers. 
Bees put the honey in honeycomb. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 215 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
Write two sentences about daisies. 

Tuesday 

Name two white flowers; two red flowers; 
two pink flowers; two yellow flowers. 

Wednesday 

Fill the blanks with an appropriate word in- 
dicating color: 

A daisy is . 

Violets are . 

I have a buttercup. 

This apple blossom is . 

This tulip is . 



This tulip is not red, it is . 

Thursday 

Show the children a daisy or buttercup blos- 
som. Talk about the flower, the stem, the 
leaves, the root; the part that the rain, the 
sunshine, and the earth have in making the 
plant grow. 

Friday 
Play, as a game, the growth of the daisy. 



216 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

One child represent the sun, another the rain, 
others daisy leaves, stems, roots, blossoms. 
The children will work out their own game, with 
a little helpful suggestion. 

THIRD WEEK 
Monday 

Place a number of small objects upon a desk 

or table. Have the children see how many of 

the objects they can name, after they have had 

a minute to observe the objects, and then these 

are hidden. 

Tuesday 
Conversation on Sight: 

How do we see objects? Why do we need to 
take the best possible care of our eyes? What 
do we call a person who cannot see? How far 
can you see? Can you see a grain of sand? 
Can you see at night? What animal can see 
at night? 

Wednesday 

Write a list of as many objects as possible 
that you can see as you c it at your desk. 



4 

DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 217 

Thursday 

Have the children cover their eyes. Pound 
on a tin pan. Have children guess what the 
sound was. Ring a small bell. What was the 
sound? Blow on a whistle. What was it? 
Stamp on the floor. Have the children guess 
what the sound was. 

Friday 

Conversation on Hearing: 

How do we hear? Why is it necessary to take 
care of our ears? (Explain how the ears should 
be cared for.) What is a person who cannot 
hear called? How do our ears differ from a 
dog's ears? A cat's ears? The ears of a horse? 
Can we move our ears? Can we move our 
eyes? What are some of thejsounds you have 
heard this morning? 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Have the children close their eyes. Place 
on each tongue a bit of salt. How many know 
what it was? Do the same with a bit of sugar, 
a bit of vinegar, a bit of nutmeg. 



218 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH] 

Tuesday 

Conversation on Taste: 

How do we taste? What have we in the 
mouth that helps us to taste? (Tongue.) What 
becomes of what we eat after it has been chewed? 
Do we taste food after it has been swallowed? 

(Have the children test this by actual experi- 
ment, with an apple, or some other eatable with 
pronounced taste.) Tell the children about 
the taste-buds on the tongue that help us to tell 
the flavor of what we take into the mouth. 

Wednesday 

Have the children close their eyes. Allow 
each child to smell cologne, vinegar, a lemon, 
and an onion. How many can tell by the scent 
what each is? 

Thursday 

Conversation on Smelling: 

With what do we smell? Can we smell any- 
thing if we cover the nose? Why is it difficult 
to smell anything if one has a cold? Which 
has the keener sense of smell, you or a dog? 
Can a horse smell? A cow? A cat? How 
does a cat know when a mouse is near? 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 219 

Friday 

Have the children close their eyes. Allow 
each child to feel a soft ball, a marble, a hand- 
kerchief, and a piece of crayon. How many can 
guess, by the feeling, what the objects are? 
How do we know, by feeling, whether an article 
is hard or soft? What part of the hand has the 
most sensitive sense of touch? How does a cat 
know if we pull her tail? How do you know 
when a pin pricks you? How does a dog know 
when a flea is biting him? 

SECOND YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 

THE DAISY 

Wake up, little daisy, the summer is nigh, 

The dear little robin is up in the sky, 
The snowdrop and crocus were never so slow; 

Then wake, little daisy, and hasten to grow. 

Now hark, little daisy, I'll tell you what's said. 

The lark thinks you're lazy, and love your warm bed; 
But Til not believe it, for now I can see 

Your bright little eye winking softly at me. 

— Selected 



220 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

Write a sentence about the daisy. 

Tuesday 

Write sentences, answering the following ques- 
tions: 

When does the daisy blossom? 
What is the color of the daisy? 
What is the daisy's eye? 

Wednesday 
For dictation: 

The daisies white are nursery maids, 

With frills upon their caps; 
The daisy buds are little babes 

They tend upon their laps. 

Thursday 
Write the daisy rhyme: 

Doctor, lawyer, merchant, chief, 

Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief. 

Friday 

Have each child give, orally, a sentence con- 
taining the word doctor, then one containing 
the word lawyer, then one containing mer- 
chant, etc. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS JN ENGLISH 221 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
Poem to be committed to memory: 
"The Flag Goes By," by Henry Holcomb 

Bennett. 

This is not too difficult for primary children 
to learn. Explain what is meant by the blare 
of bugles and the ruffle of drums. Play the 
marching, removing the hats, and saluting 
the flag. 

Have the poem copied. 

Tuesday 

Children commit to memory the first stanza 
of the poem. 

Wednesday 

Children commit to memory the second and 
third stanzas of the poem. 

Thursday 
Children commit to memory the entire poem. 

Friday 
Recite the poem, in concert, and singly. 



222 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 

Talk about Flag Day. Explain the meaning 
of the red, the white, and the blue. Tell why 
there are thirteen stripes and forty-eight stars. 

Tuesday 

Write answers in complete sentences to the 
following questions: 

What are the colors of our flags? 

How many stripes has our flag? 

How many stars has our flag? 

What does the red stand for? 

What does the white stand for? 

What does the blue stand for? 

Wednesday 
For dictation: 

I give my head, my heart, and my hand to my 

country. One country, one language, one flag. 

Thursday 

Tell the children the story of the Battle of 
Bunker Hill. If possible, show them a picture 
of the Bunker Hill Monument. This lesson 
should be given on or near June 17, the anni- 
versary of the battle. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 223 

Friday 

Write five sentences about the Battle of 
Bunker Hill 

FOURTH WEEK 

Monday 

Talk about vacation. Have each child tell 
something that he expects to do during the 
summer. 

Tuesday 

Write five sentences about what you expect 
to do during the summer. 

Wednesday 

Write as many words as you can beginning 
with s. 

Thursday 

Write the name of a red flower; an orange- 
colored flower; a yellow flower; a green flower; 
a light blue flower; a dark blue flower; a purple 
flower. 

Friday 

Play "I'm thinking of a flower/' the others 
to guess what flower is being thought of. 



224 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN^ ENGLISH 

THIRD YEAR 

FIRST WEEK 

Monday 
Poem to be committed to memory: 
"The Liberty Bell" 
Have the poem copied. 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 
Learn the poem. 

SECOND WEEK 

Monday 
Write a list of the nouns in the poem. 

Tuesday 
Write a list of the adjectives in the poem. 

Wednesday 
Write a list of the verbs in the poem. 

Thursday 

Look up in the dictionary and write out 
definitions of the following words: rife, whisper, 
gather, grant, hazard, portal. 

Friday 

Look up in the dictionary and write out 
definitions of the following words: patriot, 
freedom, dense, quivers, murmurs, exultant. 



DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 225 

THIRD WEEK 

Monday 
For dictation: 

LITTLE BETTY BLUE 

Little Betty Blue, 

Lost her holiday shoe, 
What shall Betty do? 

Buy her another 
To match the other, 
And then she will walk upon two. 

— Selected 
Tuesday 

Write a rhyme of four lines about a shoe. 

Wednesday 

Write a letter to a cousin, telling what you 
have done in school to-day. 

Thursday 

Write twenty-six words, each to begin with a 
different letter of the alphabet. As a, apple; 
b, baby, etc. 

Friday 

Play "Guess what I am," each pupil to play 
he is some flower. As, "I grow in the fields. 
My flowers are white with yellow centers. 
They close at night. What am I?" (Answer. 
A daisy.) 



226 DAILY LESSON PLANS IN ENGLISH 

FOURTH WEEK 
Monday 
Story for reproduction: 

PUSSY 

My name is Puss. You know me very well. 

Once I was a little kitten, and you played with me. 
I am grown up now, but I like to play as well as ever. 
Get a ball, and you will see what I can do. 

I like to sleep by the fire, too. I like to drink milk 
too, when I am hungry. When you have fed me, I 
will purr. 

Do you see how clean I keep my face and hands? Do 
you keep your face and hands as clean as I keep mine? 

Please give me a warm bed at night. I do not like 
to be turned out in the cold. 

I have a warm coat of fur, which I always wear. I 
am better off than some boys and girls. 

Tuesday 
Tell the story of "Pussy." 

Wednesday 
Write five sentences about Pussy, 

Thursday 

Write ten words that rhyme with cat; five 
that rhyme with fur. 

Friday 

Write a letter, telling about your cat, if you 
have one, or about some cat that you know about. 



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